Osaka out; Swiatek on course to retain Qatar crown
Naomi Osaka's hopes of clinching the Qatar Open ended in a straight-sets quarter-final loss to fellow former world number one Karolina Pliskova on Thursday, while current world number one Iga Swiatek eased through. Four-time Grand Slam title winner Osaka, who is rebuilding her career after maternity leave, went down 7-6 [8/6], 7-6 [7/5] after saving three match points. It was the 26-year-old Japanese star's second defeat to Pliskova this year after losing in three sets in her comeback tournament in Brisbane last month. Pliskova, ranked at 59, will face Swiatek for a place in Saturday's final. The Czech's win over Osaka, clinched in one hour and 43 minutes, was her ninth in the last 10 days, a run which included the Transylvania Open title on Sunday. Defending champion Swiatek moved closer to a third successive Qatar title when she brushed aside Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-0 in 74 minutes in her quarter-final. Polish 22-year-old Swiatek is 12-1 at the Gulf tournament with her only defeat coming in the 2020 second round to Svetlana Kuznetsova. "I felt like I started a little bit playing too aggressively maybe, but then I found my rhythm and the proper way to play," said Swiatek. "I kept it till the end of the match. I'm happy that I could analyse during the match and then take a lesson from that." (AFP)