Anna Kalinskaya, a Russian qualifier who was not expected to win, defeated top-seeded Iga Swiatek with scores of 6-4 and 6-4 on Friday to secure a spot in the final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Kalinskaya dominated the final stretch of the match, winning 10 out of the last 14 games. Despite facing five aces from Swiatek, she managed to defeat the Polish player in one hour and 41 minutes.
The 25-year-old Kalinskaya will join Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in vying for their first WTA 1000 title when the two meet on Saturday. Paolini posted a 6-2, 7-6 (6) win over Sorana Cirstea of Romania. Kalinskaya and Paolini each hold a victory over the other, with the former recording a 6-4, 6-2 win over the latter in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January.
Kalinskaya had a memorable week, first overcoming two qualifying matches to advance to the main draw. She then defeated top-ranked players Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia in the third round and Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, she emerged victorious against Swiatek.
Kalinskaya complimented Swiatek’s skills and expressed her strategy of staying calm and aggressive in order to avoid being defeated. She was pleased with her own performance and acknowledged Swiatek as a formidable opponent. Kalinskaya also expressed confidence that they will have many opportunities to compete against each other in the future.
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As for Paolini, 28, she saved six set points en route to ousting Cirstea in one hour, 57 minutes. “I gave you a little bit of drama at the end of the match,” Paolini said.
Source: theguardian.com
