Sakkari’s Doha Revival Downs Swiatek in Thriller
Maria Sakkari channels grit and guile to erase a set deficit against Iga Swiatek, claiming a rare quarterfinal upset under Doha’s glare and reigniting her WTA charge.
In the thick Doha evening, Maria Sakkari stared down Iga Swiatek’s opening-set storm, her baseline scramble holding firm against the World No. 2’s crisp crosscourt lasers. The top seed raced to 6-2, her heavy topspin forehands pinning the Greek deep and dictating the tempo on these medium-paced hard courts. Yet Sakkari’s eyes stayed sharp, absorbing the barrage while plotting her counter, a spark of defiance amid the crowd’s murmurs at Khalifa International.
Weathering the early onslaught
Sakkari’s initial plan leaned on redirection, firing inside-out forehands to stretch Swiatek’s flawless footwork and force mid-court replies. But the Pole’s returns bit deep, neutralizing the one–two punch of serve and forehand that Sakkari wielded in prior rounds. As the first set wrapped in under 30 minutes, frustration flickered across the former World No. 3’s face—this was her deepest Doha run in years, and folding now would sting after a season of near-misses.
The atmosphere shifted with the second set’s opening games. Sakkari mixed in slice backhands to jam Swiatek’s rhythm, stepping inside the baseline for aggressive returns that turned defense into pressure. Breaking early, she held with varied serves pulling wide, leveling at 6-4 as fans chanted her name, sensing the Greek’s mental reset taking hold.
Disrupting the champion’s flow
Swiatek’s usual poise cracked under the adjustments; her overthinking led to unforced errors in extended rallies, while Sakkari’s endurance shone on the surface’s consistent bounce. The decider blurred into a see-saw of breaks, crosscourt winners trading with desperate lobs, the tension building with every point. At 5-5, Sakkari dug in, saving two break points via a daring inside-in forehand that kissed the line, her legs steady after two hours of grind.
Check the Scores for Doha to trace her path through the quarterfinals. This tactical pivot—blending underspin with deep groundstrokes—exposed gaps in Swiatek’s movement, evening a head-to-head stuck at 4-3 in the Pole’s favor entering the match. Sakkari broke to lead 6-5, then closed 7-5, her fist pump echoing as she snapped a five-year drought against her rival.
Reclaiming semifinal ground
The 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 verdict marked Sakkari’s first win over Swiatek since 2021, leveling their WTA series at 4-4 and thrusting her into Doha’s semifinals for the third time, first since 2023. Explore the Draws and Order of play to see her next hurdle in this tournament’s unfolding bracket. For the grinder who’s clawed back from inconsistency, this breakthrough lifts the weight, her game now primed for hard-court battles ahead, with rankings momentum in sight.
