Iga Swiatek may have won her fifth straight match in the Middle East on Tuesday following her shock third round defeat at the Australian Open, but the Polish superstar faces a tricky test in the next round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina awaits Swiatek in the round of 16 with the previous clash between the two — at the 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinals — going in favour of the talented Ukrainian.
On Tuesday, Swiatek came into her opening match against former US Open champion Sloane Stephens on the back of her historic third-straight WTA title in Doha last week.
The 22-year-old overcame some anxious moments to beat the American 6-4 6-4.
But facing Svitolina, who had earlier beaten Tatjana Maria of Germany 6-3 6-3, on the Dubai centre court could be a different ballgame for Swiatek.
“I just have to be ready and take a lesson from Wimbledon and try to play my game,” Swiatek said.
But Swiatek was happy with her performance against Stephens on a day when Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka was knocked out of the tournament by Donna Vekic of Croatia.
“I wouldn’t say I’m relieved because I knew that after my last year’s experience, I could adjust quickly. I had a lot of positivity in my mind. But for sure, Sloane played really well,” Swiatek said.
“We both had many games with deuces and break points that we couldn’t convert. Because of that, it was a really interesting match.”
In the last match of the night, US Open champion Coco Gauff beat Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1 7-5.
Earlier under an afternoon sun, Sabalenka collapsed against old nemesis Vekic (7-6, 3-6, 0-6) despite being 2-0 up in the second set after grabbing the first on tie-break.
It was Sabalenka’s sixth defeat against the Croatian player.
“The level was so bad from me. She played amazing tennis, and I didn’t play my best at all,” she said.
“I feel like the conditions here don’t fit me well at all. It’s really tricky for me to compete here in Dubai. I won the first set and I was up in the second with a break, but it didn’t feel like I was up at all. This court is just a really tricky one for me. Hopefully I’ll be in better shape for Indian Wells.”
Vekic, on the other hand, was surprised by her flawless performance in the third set against the world number two.
“To be honest, I didn’t have big expectations coming to Dubai,” she said. “I told my coach that I’m taking this week as a half-holiday. I can tell you I’ve spent more time on the beach than on the court. Maybe that’s a good way going forward.”
Meanwhile, Greek star Maria Sakkari beat Emma Navarro 6-2, 6-4, but reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova had to dig deep to end Peyton Stearns’s Dubai campaign with 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 victory.
Elena Rybakina, the superstar from Kazakhstan, advanced to the next round after her rival, former world number one Victoria Azarenka, retired due to an injury before the start of the deciding third set in the match.