Rybakina sets up Qatar final against Swiatek as Pliskova withdraws

Elena Rybakina beat Anastasia Pavlychenkova in straight sets to set up a meeting with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the Qatar Open final.

World No. 3 Rybakina recorded an eighth straight victory as she beat Pavlychenkova 6-2 6-4 to improve her 2024 win-loss record to 15-2.

She will be aiming for a third title of the year when she faces Swiatek, who advanced to the final by walkover after semi-final opponent Karolina Pliskova was forced to withdraw from the tournament.

Rybakina holds a 3-1 winning record against Swiatek and has won both of their previous matches on outdoor hard courts in straight sets.

However, Swiatek has won 21 consecutive sets in Doha and is bidding to win the tournament for the third year in a row.

“I think we both know each other pretty well, and of course we trying to study and analyse,” said Rybakina about Swiatek.

“For now, it was going my way, but as I said, she’s playing really good. I think she’s a little bit fresher than me, that’s for sure, but for me it was already a very positive two weeks, so I try to push myself tomorrow and see how it’s gonna go.”

Rybakina broke midway through the first set against Pavlychenkova to take a 3-2 lead thanks to a vicious backhand winner down the line.

The Kazakhstani’s power off her serve and from the baseline was too much for Pavlychenkova and she converted her fourth set point with an unreturnable serve to wrap up the opening set in just 34 minutes.

Momentum was fully with Rybakina as she broke the Pavlychenkova serve immediately at the start of the second set.

Pavlychenkova looped a backhand long to make it 2-0, and Rybakina continued to control proceedings as she pulled 5-1 ahead.

Pavlychenkova won three straight games to close the gap but Rybakina sealed the win to secure her place in the final.

Swiatek did not have to play after Pliskova, who had won nine matches in the last 10 days, withdrew.

Pliskova, who won the WTA Cluj title last week and beat Naomi Osaka 7-6(6) 7-6(5) in the quarter-finals, pulled out of the tournament on Friday evening.

“Unfortunately I had too many matches in last couple of days and my body just didn’t react well, especially after last night having a tough match against Naomi,” Pliskova told reporters.

“I felt like I was pushing it a little bit over limit and then I felt very big pain in my lower back so I’m not able to compete anymore”.