Iga Świątek took the better of Elena Rybakina in the final of the Qatar Open on Saturday afternoon (7-6; 6-2) and won the Doha Open for the third year in a row. 

Things did not start well for the Pole, who was broken twice early on and ended up being led 4-1. Rybakina seemed in control of the situation. But Iga responded by winning the following four games in a row (5-4). That did not impress the Kazakh, who managed to break and make it (6-5). Shortly after, Rybakina choked on her service game, allowing Świątek to force a tie-break (6-6). 

Iga took an early lead (4-2), before pulling off a double fault. She then got two set points at 6-4. Rybakina saved both and had a set point herself (6-7). Eventually, the Varsovian took the set (10-8) after 90 minutes of intense battle.

The second set was animated from the first points. Świątek was the one handling the wind the best way, and broke to take a 4-2 lead. There was no coming back from that moment on. The Pole broke again and sealed the deal (6-2), becoming the first player to win three times in a row in Doha. 

This win is all the more significant that it was achieved against a player Iga had lost to at their three last encounters. Their head-to-head ratio was clearly on the side of Rybakina (3-1). Also, having come back to 4-1 in the first set and somehow turning the tide in this confrontation must have been a significant mental boost for the Polish champion. 

On Monday, Iga starts her 91st week as world number 1 and is already virtually assured of remaining on top of the charts at least until the end of March, but probably longer than that given her impressive form lately. 

Image: CANAL +

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen