Krejcikova upsets World No.1 Swiatek, clinches Dubai Masters title

Barbora Krejcikova upset World No.1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets to win her career’s first Masters title in Dubai on Saturday.

Czech Republic’s Krejcikova, who also beat Poland’s Swiatek in the Ostrava Open final last year, triumphed 6-4, 6-2 in the summit clash in UAE.

“It means a lot. It was a great week and I was improving in every game. Today I showed my best tennis,” said former World No.2 Krejcikova. “Iga motivates me every day, it was a great final and I’m definitely happy with the result.”

The 2021 French Open champion Krejcikova became only the fifth player ever to beat the top three players in the world at the same event. She had earlier defeated reigning Australian Open champion and World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the quarterfinals and World No.3 Jessica Pegula of the US in the last-four fixture.

Krejcikova began in dominant fashion by breaking three-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek in the first game with a searing crosscourt backhand winner.

A loose game allowed Swiatek to draw level at 3-3 but her Czech opponent struck back immediately with aggressive ball-striking only to surrender her serve again.

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Krejcikova took the next game to love as Swiatek struggled to contain the unforced errors and the 27-year-old held firm to wrap up the opening set when the Pole sent a forehand long.

It was the first set that Doha champion Swiatek had dropped in the past two weeks and the 21-year-old found herself trailing 4-2 in the second set as Krejcikova took control of the match.

Krejcikova closed out the match on serve to join an elite club. Steffi Graf, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Sabalenka are the only others who have beaten the top-three ranked players in the same tournament.