DOHA: Naomi Osaka’s bid to secure victory at the Qatar Open came to an end in a quarter-final defeat to former world number one Karolina Pliskova, who triumphed in straight sets on Thursday.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion currently steering her return to competitive tennis after maternity leave, fell 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) despite her efforts to stave off three match points.
This loss marks Osaka’s second encounter with Pliskova this year, following her previous defeat in three sets during her comeback tournament in Brisbane last month.
Pliskova, ranked 59th, advances to face world number one Iga Swiatek in the quest for a spot in Saturday’s final. The Czech’s victory over Osaka, secured in one hour and 43 minutes, adds to her impressive streak of nine wins in the past 10 days, including her recent triumph at the Transylvania Open.
Meanwhile, defending champion Swiatek solidified her path towards a potential third consecutive Qatar title with a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory over Victoria Azarenka in the quarter-final, lasting 74 minutes.
Reflecting on her performance, Swiatek commented, “I felt like I started a little bit playing too aggressively maybe, but then I found my rhythm and the proper way to play. I kept it till the end of the match. I’m happy that I could analyze during the match and then take a lesson from that.”
