Swiatek wins Doha title – dropping just five games all week

Iga Swiatek beat Jessica Pegula in straight sets to win the Doha title again

Tennis – WTA 500 – Qatar Open – Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Doha, Qatar – February 18, 2023 Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates with the trophy after winning the final match Jessica Pegula of the U.S (AI/Reuters/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

February 18, 2023

Iga Swiatek knows how to put on a show. On Saturday, she won the title in Doha, beating Jessica Pegula in the final 6-3, 6-0.

The Pole defended the title she won last year – the first time she has done that – and she will know full well that victory in 2022 was what kickstarted her epic 37-match winning streak.

And on form like this, more record-breaking feats could be immiment. She dropped just five games over the course of the week; admittedly that included a first-round bye and a quarter-final walkover win, but it also included thumping wins over Danielle Collins in the second round (6-0, 6-1) and Veronika Kudermetova in the semi-final (6-0, 6-1), both wrapped up in less than an hour.

“For sure the bye helped…honestly, I don’t care how many games I won or lost, I feel like I really found my rhythm here after a tough beginning of the season,” she said afterwards.

“I could stay focused from the beginning to the end of the matches.”

Pegula will have to be satisfied this year with just the doubles crown, which she defended successfully with partner Coco Gauff on Friday.