© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has become the first player since Serena Williams to make three consecutive finals in a single hard-court tournament after reaching the Doha final, via OptaAce.
Swiatek, the No. 1 seed and the defending champion in Doha, progressed into the final at the tournament after Karolina Pliskova gave her a walkover in their semifinal match. When Swiatek takes to the court on Saturday to play against Elena Rybakina in the final, it will be the third consecutive Doha final for the 22-year-old Pole.
In 2022, Swiatek won her first Doha title after destroying Anett Kontaveit 6-2 6-0 in the final. Last year, Swiatek successfully defended her Doha title after beating Jessica Pegula Pegula 6-3 6-0. This year, Swiatek has come a win away from a three-peat in Doha.
The last time that a player made three consecutive finals in a single hard-court tournament happened between 2015 and 2017, when Williams achieved the feat at the Australian Open. During those three years, Williams won the Australian Open in 2015 and 2017 while she ended as runner-up at the tournament in 2016.
3 – Following Karolina Pliskova’s withdrawal, Iga Swiatek has become the first player to…
