Unstoppable Swiatek rolls through another easy win

Iga Swiatek steamrolled to her 11th victory of the season – all of them in straight sets – to move into the WTA Dubai quarter-finals 6-1, 6-0 over Liudmila Samsonova on Wednesday.

The top-seeded world No. 1 who lifted eight titles in 2022, was again untouchable on the cement of the Aviation Club, rolling through in a somewhat leisurely 77 minutes. 

The winner will play her first quarter-final here after losing just eight games in her last 10 sets.

The lightning-round match was a huge contrast to their only other meeting, in which Swiatek needed just over three hours to win in last spring’s Stuttgart semi-finals.

“There is only one solution, try to play really solid and be focused on each point, every shot,” the winner said after lining up a quarter-final against Karolina Pliskova, who advanced past Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-2.

“I had to reset after Australia (fourth-round upset loss). I’m working harder to be more solid from the baseline. 

I’m happy that it’s working.”