Iga Swiatek was defeated by Anna Kalinskaya in the Dubai semi-finals, the world number one’s first straight sets loss in 343 days.
In the second WTA 1000 event in the Middle East, Iga Swiatek led the Russians 4-2 in the opening set but was pushed back to lose 4-6 4-6.
Swiatek last lost in straight sets to eventual champion Elena Rybakina in the Indian Wells semifinal last year.
Swiatek conceded that she thought the defeat was more about her own play after making eighteen unintentional mistakes, despite the Pole applauding her opponent.
Swiatek asserted, “I feel like it was more about me and my level today, even though I think she [Kalinskaya] played well and deserves to be in the final.” “I wanted to put all of my attention into myself, but I found it difficult to put my strategies into practice.
“Preparation was as good as it got, I think, but I couldn’t come up with anything on the court today that made sense. Perhaps I did in the first six games, but after that, things just didn’t work out.
After winning the Qatar Open for the third time in a row last week, Swiatek, 22, hinted that her performance yesterday might have been affected by these back-to-back competitions.
It’s not often that I feel like I have the capacity to give more,” Swiatek remarked. “Today I was so exhausted and out of control that I just couldn’t improve my game, even though normally when I tell myself what to do, I can.”
The four-time major winner went on, “It was getting a little worse every day.” It didn’t really make sense to discuss it, which is why I wasn’t speaking with you about it, but like I mentioned, it has been two weeks.
Although I’m upset, I also realise that not many players make it through these kinds of competitions, so I have to accept it and go on.
Now that Kalinskaya has become the first qualifier in history to reach the Dubai final, Swiatek will focus on the sunshine double of Indian Wells and the Miami Open.
Later today, Kalinskaya and Jasmine Paolini will square off in the fourth unseeded final in the history of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The Italian player Kalinskaya defeated her opponent from Italy during their match at the most recent Australian Open.
