Swiatek storms into the Qatar Open semi-finals, extending her record-breaking winning streak
Iga Swiatek reaffirmed her status as Qatar’s undisputed queen, dismantling Elena Rybakina in a fierce quarter-final clash to extend her incredible winning streak to 15 matches in Doha. The world No. 2 fought back from a breakdown in the second set to seal a commanding 6-2, 7-5 victory, keeping her dream of a fourth straight title alive.
Facing a familiar foe in Rybakina, who held a 4-2 head-to-head advantage over her at the start of the year, Swiatek was in no mood for sentiment. She took control early, dictating rallies with devastating precision, while Rybakina struggled to match her intensity. The first set was over in a flash, with Swiatek breaking twice to stamp her authority.
However, Rybakina showed resistance in the second, finding her range with booming serves and powerful groundstrokes. She stunned Swiatek by breaking early and racing to a 4-2 lead. But just when it seemed the match could shift, Swiatek raised her level once more. The Pole broke back in ruthless fashion, forcing errors from Rybakina and capitalising on her opponent’s nerves.
The decisive moment came with Rybakina serving at 5-6 to stay in the match. Under immense pressure, she faltered, committing a double fault to hand Swiatek the victory. It was a brutal ending for the Kazakh, who had hoped to avenge last year’s final defeat but instead left the court looking dejected.
Embed from Getty Images“I’m super happy and proud of myself,” Swiatek said after the match. “She raised her level in the second set, and I knew I had to do the same.”
Her win not only places her in the semi-finals but also raises her name deeper into the Qatar Open history books. With 15 consecutive wins at this event, Swiatek now holds the longest unbeaten streak since the tournament’s inception in 2001.
Up next, she faces the red-hot Ekaterina Alexandrova, who stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka earlier in the week. Alexandrova, fresh off a title win in Linz, secured her spot in the semis with a gritty 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Jessica Pegula.
With momentum firmly on her side, Swiatek looks poised to claim yet another title in Doha. But as Rybakina learned the hard way, pushing the Polish star to the brink is one thing—beating her is an entirely different challenge.
