Iga Swiatek won her fourth match in a row in her opening-round match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The top seed defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-1, 6-1 in an hour and 12 minutes to reach the third round. Swiatek won 70% of her first-serve points and won 65% points on return on Fernandez’s first serve.
She won the same margin of points on return on the Canadian’s second serve while winning 56% of her second-serve points. Swiatek saved two of the three break points she faced while converting six break points on Fernandez’s serve.
Looking to reach the quarter-finals in Dubai for the first time in her career, the world no. 1 will play 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova. Samsonova advanced to the third round after her second-round opponent, Qinwen Zheng withdrew from the event ahead of their match with stomach illness.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships: Jelena Ostapenko’s too good
Jelena Ostapenko also took her place in the third round. The 13th-seeded Latvian, who’s attempting to defend her title this week posted a strong 6-2, 6-0 win against the Czech Republic’s Linda Fruhvirtova.
Ostapenko needed merely 55 minutes to complete the match. The former Roland Garros champion won 78% of her first-serve points to Fruhvirtova’s 56%. Both players, however, struggled to score off their second serves. Still, Ostapenko who was able to win only 35% of her second-serve points finished with 89% points on return on the 17-year-old’s second serve.
Ostapenko’s next clash will be against Aryna Sabalenka. The second seed came through a one-sided match of her own. Opening the event against Lauren Davis, the 2023 Australian Open winner clinched a 6-0, 6-1 victory after 59 minutes of play.
Sabalenka’s yet to lose a match this year. Fourth seed Caroline Garcia and seventh seed Daria Kasatkina lost in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Madison Keys upset the Frenchwoman 7-5, 6-4.
Barbora Krejcikova ousted Kasatkina 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. In the third set, the Czech saved a handful of match points before turning the match into a win for herself. Photo Credit: WTA Twitter 
