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231007 — BEIJING, Oct. 7, 2023 — Iga Swiatek celebrates winning the women s singles semifinal between Iga Swiatek of Poland and Coco Gauff of the United States at China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 7, 2023. SPCHINA-BEIJING-TENNIS-CHINA OPEN-WOMEN S SINGLES-SEMIFINAL CN LuoxYuan PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
via Imago
231007 — BEIJING, Oct. 7, 2023 — Iga Swiatek celebrates winning the women s singles semifinal between Iga Swiatek of Poland and Coco Gauff of the United States at China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 7, 2023. SPCHINA-BEIJING-TENNIS-CHINA OPEN-WOMEN S SINGLES-SEMIFINAL CN LuoxYuan PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
The Qatar Open is currently underway on the outdoor hard courts in Doha, and fans are buzzing with excitement. Now that the initial round games have featured some high-octane performances, the stage is now set for some high-profile showdowns in the quarterfinals at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
The defending champion, Iga Świątek, will square off against the former world No. 1 player, Victoria Azarenka, in a blockbuster quarterfinal of the WTA 1000 tournament. With two Grand Slam champions competing for a place in the semifinal round, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this match.
Iga Świątek vs. Victoria Azarenka: Qatar Open quarterfinal match preview
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After a lackluster campaign at the Australian Open, Iga Świątek looks all geared up to make amends at the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha. Entering the Qatar Open as the number 1 seed, the Polish tennis star swept aside Sorana Cîrstea, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round. In her round of 16, the 4-time singles Grand Slam champion breezed past her 14th-seeded opponent, Ekaterina Alexandrova, to secure a place in the quarterfinals.
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Victoria Azarenka, on the other hand, is also coming to the Qatar Open after an initial round defeat at the major tournament in Melbourne Park. In her first two games, the Belarusian tennis player outclassed the likes of Magdalena Fręch and Wang Xinyu to reach the round of 16. The 34-year-old player then thumped the 8th seeded Jeļena Ostapenko while pulling off a bagel set, 6-0, 6-3.
Świątek vs. Azarenka: Head-to-Head
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The second-round match between Świątek and Azarenka at the Doha Open will also mark their fourth meeting on the WTA circuit. In their previous two meetings at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and the Adelaide International 1, it was the 22-year-old Polish player who came out on top against Azarenka and currently has a 2-1 lead in their H2H record. However, in their first on-court encounter at the Grand Slam in New York, the Belarusian tennis player defeated Świątek in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
Prediction: Świątek to prevail in the quarterfinal match of the Doha Open
Iga Świątek is the favorite to win not just this match but also the championship. Given her current number 1 ranking and past encounters against Azarenka, the Pole will most likely emerge victorious in the high-profile quarterfinal game against her unseeded opponent.
Who do you think will prevail in this blockbuster Qatar Open quarterfinal match between Świątek and Azarenka? Let us know in the comments section.
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