Swiatek Dominates Azarenka to Advance at Dubai Championships

Dubai, UAE — Iga Swiatek surged through a rain-delayed match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, defeating Victoria Azarenka 6-0, 6-2 in just one hour and 13 minutes on Tuesday. The No. 2 seed’s victory marked a strong comeback from a disappointing semifinals loss in Doha last week.

After a wait of more than four hours due to rain that interrupted Jasmine Paolini‘s match against Eva Lys, Swiatek capitalized on the opportunity to showcase her skills against Azarenka, the 2010 runner-up. In her post-match interview, Swiatek revealed she had warmed up multiple times before ultimately settling down with a book, Lego, and a nap. “I just wanted to be ready,” she mentioned, reflecting on her preparation.

Swiatek dominated the opening set, committing only three unforced errors and allowing Azarenka no opportunity for game point on her serve. She won 31 points to Azarenka’s 9, with a particularly powerful forehand that left the former champion struggling. Swiatek’s aggressive tactics also shone through, winning 87% of points on Azarenka’s second serve.

“I just wanted to be solid, focused, and in the zone,” Swiatek said, highlighting her strategy against Azarenka. With this victory, Swiatek has now achieved a remarkable 51 consecutive tournaments without losing her opening match, tying the best such run of the century.

The match was historically notable for Azarenka as well, marking just the fifth time in her career that she won two games or fewer in a completed tour-level match. The last such instances were in 2007. Azarenka, who has faced Swiatek five times, now holds a 1-4 record against the young Polish star.

Next, Swiatek will face Dayana Yastremska, who recently ended a six-match winning streak of Anastasia Potapova’s with a 6-2, 6-3 win. This clash will mark a rematch for Swiatek, who has previously lost to Yastremska in their only encounter back in 2019.