Iga Swiatek Advances to Face Daria Kasatkina in Doha

Top seed Iga Swiatek kicked off her campaign at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in Doha with a commanding 6-0, 6-3 victory over Indonesian wildcard Janice Tjen, securing her place in the third round. This win also extends Swiatek’s impressive streak to 32 consecutive opening match-wins at WTA 1000 events – a testament to her consistent dominance.

Swiatek’s Dominant Performance

Swiatek’s first match since her quarterfinal loss to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open saw her utterly dominate the opening set, conceding just eight points in a swift 6-0 win. While the second set proved more competitive, with Tjen showcasing the form that has propelled her to a current ranking of No. 46, Swiatek ultimately prevailed after a hard-fought 1 hour and 9 minutes.

The match highlighted Swiatek’s unwavering focus and determination. When questioned about potentially conceding a game to her opponents in such dominant situations, Swiatek explained, “I think when I was younger, I felt that way, but later on, you just want to win it. It’s sports. It doesn’t make sense to stop or to play 80%. I’m there to perform my best, so I felt always that you wouldn’t be respectful towards the opponent if give them something, because we’re here to play our best. I always try to just focus on myself and that’s it.”

Key Stats from Swiatek’s Win

• 23: Swiatek’s combined career match-wins in Doha and Dubai, second only to Caroline Wozniacki (25) since 2009.
• 31: Consecutive WTA-level matches won against players ranked outside the top 20.
• 32: Unbroken streak of opening-match wins at WTA 1000 events.
• 36: Swiatek has recorded her 36th 6-0 set at WTA 1000 events, the most by any player since 2009.
• 72: Swiatek is now 72-0 in opening matches across her last 72 WTA events.

Next Up: Daria Kasatkina

Swiatek will now face former top-10 player Daria Kasatkina in the Round of 16. Kasatkina secured her spot with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Elise Mertens earlier in the day.

Head-to-Head Record

The head-to-head record heavily favors Swiatek, leading 6-1 over Kasatkina. She has won their last six meetings without dropping a set. However, Swiatek remains cautious, stating, “Honestly I try not to think about head-to-head because every match is a different story. She can come to the match feeling that she has nothing to lose. There are different ways the match can go, and I wouldn’t say that focusing on the last results gives a lot. I’d rather stay ready for the challenge and not really think about the previous ones.”

The upcoming match promises to be a compelling contest, testing Swiatek’s consistency and Kasatkina’s determination. Fans can expect a high-level battle as both players vie for a place in the quarterfinals.

For more information on the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, visit the official Qatar Tennis Federation website.