Published By: Sports Desk
Last Updated: February 24, 2024, 00:00 IST
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Iga Swiatek was upset by qualifier Anna Kalinskaya 64, 64 within the semifinals of the Dubai Championships after the world No. 1 squandered an early lead on Friday.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Iga Swiatek was upset by qualifier Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4 within the semifinals of the Dubai Championships after the world No. 1 squandered an early lead on Friday.
Swiatek was up 4-2 when Kalinskaya rattled off 4 straight video games to take the primary set en path to her third consecutive victory over a prime 10 opponent.
Kalinskaya eradicated No. 3 Coco Gauff within the quarterfinals and No. 9 Jelena Ostapenko within the final 16.
“I feel physically much better than last year. That gives me a lot of confidence to play at such a high level,” Kalinskaya mentioned in her on-court interview.
The Fortieth-ranked Kalinskaya mentioned the important thing to beating Swiatek was to remain calm — but aggressive.
“I know if I don’t stay calm and I don’t stay aggressive she is going to destroy me,” Kalinskaya mentioned. “That was my plan — to stay aggressive and move her a lot. She’s unbelievable. I’m happy I had the chance to play against her.”
She will face Jasmine Paolini on Saturday within the largest ultimate of each their careers.
The Italian held off Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Paolini saved six set factors within the second set.
“I gave you a little bit of drama at the end of the match,” she mentioned in her on-court interview.
Winning in just below two hours towards her Romanian opponent, the Twenty sixth-ranked Paolini is a victory away from her second tour title.
Paolini reached the fourth spherical on the Australian Open final month — her greatest efficiency at a Grand Slam — the place she misplaced to Kalinskaya in straight units.
The victory ensured Paolini will crack the highest 20 for the primary time in subsequent week’s rankings. She broke into the highest 30 final October.
Her solely WTA title was at Portoroz, Slovenia, in 2021.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
