Dubai Duty Free Championships: Pliskova withdraws to send Swiatek into semis

Pole Iga Swiatek, the top seed, reached the last four of the Dubai Duty Free Championships after Czech Karolina Pliskova withdrew before the match at The Aviation Club Tennis Centre.

Swiatek, ranked No 1, will face No 5 seed Coco Gauff next.

The 21-year-old Pole defeated Canadian Leylah Fernandez (6-1, 6-1), Russian Liudmila Samsonova, the No 14 seed (6-1, 6-0) and Gauff, ranked No 6 (6-4, 6-2) ahead of her victory.

In the previous rounds of the Dubai Open, Pliskova, ranked No 18, won against Marketa Vondrousova (6-3, 6-4), Greek Maria Sakkari, the No 6 seed (6-1, 6-2) and Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina (7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-2).

Dubai WTA 1000, quarter-final results (The Aviation Club Tennis Centre, hard, USD 2.788.468, most recent results first):

• Jessica Pegula beat Karolina Muchova (walkover)
• Barbora Krejcikova beat Aryna Sabalenka (2): 0-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1
• Coco Gauff beat Madison Keys: 6-2, 7-5