The Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek, once ranked number one in the world, reacted to her semi-final loss to Russian competitor Anna Kalinskaya at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai, noting that her opponent deserved a place in the final. The remarks were reported by sports.ru.
Speaking after the match, Swiatek acknowledged the demanding two weeks she had endured. She admitted feeling frustration but also recognized that few players can survive such a grueling schedule. She said the result reflected her own level at that moment and that she needed to accept the defeat and move forward. She praised Kalinskaya for her performance and conceded that Kalinskaya rightfully earned a spot in the finals, while suggesting that her own tactical choices during the match did not come together as planned.
The match lasted one hour and forty-two minutes, concluding with a decisive victory for Kalinskaya, who is a 25-year-old representing Moscow. The final scoreline read 6:4, 6:4. Kalinskaya demonstrated precision on serve, delivering a faultless first serve percentage and notching several aces, while Swiatek faced challenges with service accuracy and continuation points. Kalinskaya also logged no double faults during the encounter, underscoring consistent serving under pressure, while Swiatek managed six aces, recorded two service errors, and won a substantial portion of her first-service points.
Looking ahead, Kalinskaya earned a place in the championship match where she would meet Italian player Yasin Paolini. The final was scheduled for February 24 and was set to begin at 18:00 Moscow time, bringing a cross-regional appeal to tennis fans following the Dubai event.
In the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, Kalinskaya moved to the 40th position with 1323 points, while Swiatek maintained the top spot with 10,300 points. Belarusian contender Aryna Sabalenka remained second, boasting 8,905 points after her Australian Open triumph, and American Cori GauffM completed the top three with 7,100 points. Among the Russian players, the highest-ranked was Daria Kasatkina, who stood 13th with 3,063 points.
Earlier remarks from the post-match analysis noted that Kalinskaya’s performance had been pivotal, setting the tone for an unexpected but well-earned win against the world’s leading player. The takeaway highlighted Kalinskaya’s ability to execute under pressure and capitalize on key moments, ultimately delivering a breakthrough result on the Dubai stage.