Iga Swiatek rallies to advance to quarterfinals at Doha

Second-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland needed three sets and 2½ hours to defeat Linda Noskova on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2025 in Doha.

Swiatek rallied for 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-4 victory over the 20-year-old Czech, setting up a rematch against No. 5 Elena Rybakina. Swiatek's victory kept alive her chances for a four-peat at the Qatar event.

Swiatek survived 16 aces fired by Noskova, who won 71.4 percent of her first serves. Swiatek, meanwhile, won just 64.7 of her first serves but converted 4 of 7 break opportunities. Noskova, meanwhile, broke Swiatek just twice in eight chances.

"I would say Linda played amazing, and for sure she didn't make it easy for me," Swiatek said.

Rybakina, meanwhile, easily dispatched Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova 7-6 (1), 6-2 in 1 hour, 24 minutes.

Her wins sets up a rematch of last year's Doha final, won by Swiatek in straight sets.

"Tough opponent as always," Rybakina said of Swiatek. "Going to focus on myself and try to stay aggressive on the court. It's definitely the toughest opponent so far on this tournament, so hopefully I can do well," she said.

Swiatek said Rybakina, who leads the series between the players 4-3, is going to be a tough out.

"She likes playing here, she's been in a final here last year, and last year also was tough. So I'll be ready for some intense rallies, and some low balls, and good serving," Swiatek said of Rybakina.

Fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy was eliminated by Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-2, meaning Swiatek is the only top 4 seed left standing heading into the quarters.

"I feel very special playing in Doha, because I feel this is the place where everything started for me," Ostapenko said in her on-court interview.

No. 6 Jessica Pegula rolled into the quarters with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over 10th-seeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia.

Pegula will next face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, who dispatched Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday.

In other action, Amanda Anisimova defeated Canadian Leylah Fernandez in straight sets (6-3, 6-0) for a date in the quarters against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk, who ousted Madga Linette of Poland 6-4, 6-2.

Also, Tunisia's Ons Jabeur needed just 66 minutes to oust Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-4.

--Field Level Media