Iga Swiatek has accomplished an impressive feat in the world of tennis, similar to that of Serena Williams. The Polish tennis star has become the first player since the American icon to win three consecutive titles in the same tournament. In the final of the Doha tournament, Swiatek, who was seeded first, defeated the third-seeded Elena Rybakina with a score of 7-6 (8) 6-2. This victory marked Swiatek’s 11th consecutive win in Doha and her third consecutive title in Qatar. Prior to Swiatek, the last player to achieve such a three-peat in a single tournament was Williams, who secured titles in three consecutive years at the Miami Open from 2013 to 2015.
Swiatek’s path to the Doha final was paved by a withdrawal from Karolina Pliskova in the previous round. This advancement made Swiatek the first player since Williams to reach three consecutive finals in a single tournament. The last time this occurred was when Williams made three consecutive finals at the Australian Open between 2015 and 2017. Swiatek’s recent accomplishments have allowed her to replicate two of Williams’ impressive achievements within a short span of time.
Swiatek’s dominance in Doha can be further highlighted by her success in defending her title from the previous year. In 2022, she emerged victorious without dropping a single set. This year, Swiatek continued her winning streak by securing her third Doha title, once again without losing a set.
Throughout the tournament, Swiatek showcased her skills with straight-set victories over Sorana Cirstea, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Victoria Azarenka, and Rybakina. The match against Rybakina proved to be a challenging one, as Swiatek found herself on the verge of losing the first set when Rybakina held a 4-1 lead and a double break advantage. Additionally, Swiatek faced a set point in the first-set tie-break but managed to save it, eventually converting her fourth set point. Following her narrow victory in the first set, Swiatek broke Rybakina twice in the second set and did not allow any breaks against her, securing a two-set win.
Looking ahead, Swiatek is preparing to compete in Dubai, where she holds the top seed position and will begin with a first-round bye.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org