Qatar Open: Iga Swiatek beats Elena Rybakina to win title for third year in a row

World number one Iga Swiatek claimed the Qatar Open title for the third year in a row with a straight-set victory against Elena Rybakina.

Poland‘s Swiatek trailed by a double break in the first set but regrouped well, eventually beating the Kazakhstan player 7-6 (10-8) 6-2.

Swiatek lost all three of her matches against Rybakina in 2023.

It is four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek’s first WTA title of the year and her 18th overall.

Swiatek is the first player to win a WTA singles title three times in a row since Serena Williams claimed the Miami Open from 2013-15.

She trailed Rybakina 4-1 in the first set but found her rhythm, forcing things back on serve and saving a set point before closing out the tie-break after 90 minutes.

Rybakina had to take a medical timeout after hitting her leg with her racquet while serving in the first set and she quickly went down a break in the second.

Swiatek then broke the Rybakina serve once more before serving out for victory.

Both players are scheduled to play in the Dubai Tennis Championship, which begins on Friday.

Elsewhere, Australia‘s Alex de Minaur celebrated his 25th birthday by beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 6-3 to reach the Rotterdam Open final.

De Minaur will face Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner in Sunday’s final after the Italian beat Tallon Griekspoor 6-2 6-4.

However, Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz missed out on a first final of the season as he lost 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to Nicolas Jarry in the last four of the Argentina Open.

Spain‘s Alcaraz was the defending champion at the clay-court event.

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