Swiatek beats Fernandez to keep WTA title hope alive

World No.1 Iga Swiatek safely navigated a potentially tricky tie against Leylah Fernandez at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday (February 21) but praised her opponent for the gutsy display on Centre Court. Swiatek's victory keep her hopes of back-to-back WTA titles alive following her victory in Doha last weekend. In front of a lively Centre Court crowd who showed support for both players, Swiatek raced into a 4-0 lead and never looked in any real danger despite a gutsy display from Fernandez. The World No.1 had too much guile, power and speed, dispatching Fernandez 6-1 6-1 in just 1 hour 12 minutes to set up a third-round clash with 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova. “That was much tougher than the score says. I really needed to work hard. The courts here are a little faster than Doha, so it took a little adjusting but was good in the end,” said Swiatek, who was roared on by a strong contingent of Polish fans. Swiatek also praised Fernandez, saying that the Canadian of Filipino origin can play great tennis and "will win many tournaments in the future." Leylah Fernandez at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on February 21, 2023 “Leylah and I have played two or three matches already. I know she can play great tennis. We had three tight games, tight situations today. It was much tougher than the score says,” Swiatek said. “She’s a lefty and she’s using that, so I have to adjust to that. She’s a really talented player. I am pretty sure that in the future she’s going to win many tournaments,” Swiatek added. ICA/Expat Media

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