No.1 seed and two-time defending champion Swiatek advanced to her third straight final in Doha after Karolina Pliskova withdrew from their scheduled semifinal match on Friday due to a lower back injury. No.3 seed Rybakina joined her after defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-4 to reach her third final of 2024.
Pliskova had won her last nine matches prior to the withdrawal, having won her first title in four years last week at the WTA 250 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She defeated Anna Kalinskaya, Anastasia Potapova, Linda Noskova and Naomi Osaka this week. Her first three victories came in three sets, and she defeated Osaka in a pair of tiebreaks on Thursday -- handing the four-time Grand Slam winner a loss for the second time in four tournaments in her comeback from maternity leave so far.
"Sorry for the tournament that I had to withdraw, but unfortunately I had too many matches in last couple of days, and my body just didn't react well, especially after last night having a tough match against Naomi," Pliskova said.
"I felt like I was pushing it a little bit over limit, and then I felt very big pain in my lower back, so I'm not able to compete anymore."
The walkover is not counted towards Swiatek's official win-loss record against Pliskova or otherwise, nor does it end Pliskova's unbeaten streak.
Swiatek will enter Saturday's final on an 11-match winning streak in Doha, having won her last 21 sets at the tournament. Overall, her career win-loss record at the event is 12-1, with her only defeat coming in the 2020 second round to Svetlana Kuznetsova. The World No.1 is looking to become the first woman to win three straight titles at a single Hologic WTA Tour event since Serena Williams completed a hat trick at the Miami Open from 2013-15.
Swiatek vs. Rybakina V
Swiatek and Rybakina split two junior meetings in 2016 and 2017, and have played each other four times at pro level, with Rybakina leading 3-1. The Pole took their first meeting 7-6(5), 6-2 in the 2021 Ostrava quarterfinals, but Rybakina announced herself as one of Swiatek's greatest threats with a trio of victories in 2023.
Rybakina has won both of their previous matches on outdoor hard courts in straight sets, in the fourth round of the Australian Open and the Indian Wells semifinals last year. They have not played since the Rome quarterfinals last May, which Rybakina took after Swiatek retired at 2-2 in the third set due to a thigh injury.
Well it's been a long time coming. The match up a lot of fans have been dreading has finally arrived.
They've been avoiding each other in finals for the past year, so it had to happen at some point.
I think the fact it's happening in Doha of all places is good for Iga. She feels very comfortable here, the slow courts really suit her game.
As long as she stays calm and stays close with Rybakina on serve she will definitely take it.
She has been working on changing her service motion this season in order to deal with people like Rybakina so tomorrow she'll finally be able to put it to the test.
The last 2 meetings Iga had with Rybakina she wasn't fully fit. Indian Wells she had a rib issue and Rome the thigh problem, so I'd hardly call those fair wins.
This time Iga is fully fit and had a day off between the matches. I'm expecting a great battle.
Jazda Iga we believe in you!.
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