Thu Feb 13 11:20:00 UTC 2025: **Swiatek Survives Noskova Scare to Advance in Doha**
DOHA, Qatar – World No. 2 Iga Swiatek narrowly avoided an upset on Wednesday at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, battling past Linda Noskova 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-4 in a thrilling third-round match. The victory keeps Swiatek alive in the tournament following the early exits of top seed Aryna Sabalenka and other top contenders, Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini. Swiatek is now the only top-four seed remaining.
Noskova, ranked 33rd, proved a formidable opponent, showcasing a powerful serve that yielded 16 aces and consistently challenging Swiatek from the baseline. The Czech player even took the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-1, and held several break points in the following sets. The match mirrored Tuesday’s upset of Sabalenka by Ekaterina Alexandrova, with the lower-ranked player repeatedly matching the higher-ranked player’s power and skill.
Swiatek, however, demonstrated her championship mettle. Despite falling behind, she rallied throughout the match, ultimately capitalizing on Noskova’s late-match errors. In the final set, with Swiatek serving at 3-4 and Noskova holding 0-30, Noskova faltered, missing crucial returns and forehands, allowing Swiatek to claim the victory.
“Every match with Linda is always super-tough,” Swiatek commented post-match, acknowledging Noskova’s powerful serve. “Wasn’t easy.” The win extends Swiatek’s undefeated streak in Doha to 14 matches, dating back to 2021. While the match highlighted the increasing competitiveness of the WTA, Swiatek’s perseverance underscores her ability to prevail even when facing adversity. Her Doha performance remains a key indicator of her potential for continued dominance this year.
First Piper 