DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (AP) – Top-ranked Iga Swiatek was upset by Barbora Krejcikova 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Dubai Championships on Saturday.
Krejcikova closed the tournament by beating the top three players in the WTA rankings: number three Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals, number two Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, then Swiatek. number eight Daria Kasaktina was also overcome in the second round.
The Czech is the fifth woman in the Open era to beat the world’s top three at the same event.
“It’s a big achievement and I think it’s going to give me a lot of confidence that I can play with the best ones,” Krejcikova said.
The former French Open champion dominated the final, breaking Swiatek five times. The Pole earned two breaks back in the first set, but Krejcikova then played out a love break and held to love for the set.
In the second, she broke for 2-1 and 5-2 and easily held serve to win her sixth singles title.
