Tennis: Swiatek sweeps past Pegula to win back-to-back Qatar titles
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Iga Swiatek dropped just five games all week on her way to the Doha title.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
DOHA – World No. 1 Iga Swiatek won her second successive Qatar Open title on Saturday, sweeping past Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-0 in the final.
It was the Pole’s first title of 2023 and 12th of her career.
The reigning French and US Open champion dropped just five games all week on her way to the Doha title.
She completed victory over world No. 4 Pegula in just 69 minutes to take her career head-to-head over the American to 5-2.
Doha remains a special place for Swiatek – her 2022 title triumph in the Qatari capital sparked a 37-match winning streak which culminated in her second Grand Slam title at the French Open.
“I’m really happy that I could kind of find more balance, comparing to how I felt at the beginning of the season,” Swiatek said.
“This tournament is going to give me a lot of confidence but, still, I want to take everything step by step. I’m just really happy that I could win this match today.”
Swiatek next makes the short journey to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai WTA tournament, which gets underway on Sunday.
Meanwhile, men’s world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz reached the final at the Argentina Open on Saturday as he bids to win his first title of 2023 after returning from a near four-month injury layoff.
The Spaniard, who suffered an abdominal injury at the Paris Masters in November, beat compatriot Bernabe Miralles 6-2, 6-2 in the semi-final and will play Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the title clash.
Carlos Alcaraz bids to win his first title of 2023 after returning from a near four-month injury layoff.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
The 19-year-old pulled out of the Australian Open due to a leg injury and lost the No. 1 ranking to Novak Djokovic, who won the season-opening Major at Melbourne Park.
“I was a little bit down after the injury, so I had to recover in those four months the confidence and the rhythm,” Alcaraz said.
“Coming back for my first tournament of 2023 and making the final is so special for me.”
In the Netherlands, Daniil Medvedev outclassed Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets on Saturday to set up a Rotterdam ATP final showdown against in-form Jannik Sinner and ensure a return to the world’s top 10.
Daniil Medvedev (above) outclassed Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets on Saturday to set up a Rotterdam ATP final showdown against Jannik Sinner.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
The sixth-seeded Russian won 6-1, 6-2 in just 82 minutes, converting six of 13 break points to reach his first final since claiming the title in Vienna in October.
“It was an amazing match. The score looks easy, but the match was not. I felt physically like I was playing five sets,” said former world No. 1 Medvedev.
In his 28th career final on Sunday, he will face Italy’s 14th-ranked Sinner, who defeated Dutch wildcard Tallon Griekspoor 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).
“It would be amazing to win here,” said Medvedev, a 15-time champion on the tour.
Sinner, who lifted the title in Montpellier on Feb 12, didn’t face a break point in his victory against world No. 61 Griekspoor.
It was an eighth win in a row for Sinner, but he has yet to defeat Medvedev in four previous meetings. AFP, REUTERS
