Iga Swiatek, the world number one, secured her third consecutive Qatar TotalEnergies Open title on Saturday by defeating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (10/8), 6-2 in the final.
Swiatek’s triumph makes her the first player since Serena Williams to win three straight titles at the same WTA event, a feat last achieved at the Miami Open from 2013-2015.
Expressing her thoughts on the victory, Swiatek remarked, “You don’t even know how hard it was not to think about it. I came here and was pretty stressed because I felt the expectations. I wanted to do everything step by step like I always do. I’m really happy. I’m really proud of myself.”
This win marks Swiatek’s 18th career singles title and her first of the 2024 season. Notably, her only defeat in the last 23 matches was to Czech teen Linda Noskova in the Australian Open third round. Meanwhile, Rybakina, who had won two titles earlier in the year, fell short in her bid for a third victory.
Rybakina, acknowledging Swiatek’s performance, stated, “I fought till the end. Congratulations to Iga for a great week.” Swiatek’s journey to the final was aided by a walkover received on Friday when Karolina Pliskova withdrew due to a lower back injury.
Despite a challenging start in the final, Swiatek made a remarkable comeback after falling a double break behind early in the match. She saved two set points early in the second set before dominating to secure victory in two hours and 19 minutes.
Swiatek’s win solidifies her dominance in Doha, where she now holds a 13-1 record since her debut in 2020.