Sports News | Sabalenka Extends Winning Streak, Swiatek Advances in Dubai

Dubai, Feb 23 (AP) Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka improved to 13-0 this year with a 2-6 6-1 6-1 victory over Jelena Ostapenko to reach the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships.

The second-ranked Sabalenka will next face Barbora Krejcikova, who beat fellow Czech player Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-2 on Wednesday.

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Earlier, top-ranked Iga Swiatek reached the quarterfinals by beating Liudmila Samsonova 6-1 6-0.

The 21-year-old Pole was then issued a walkover to the semifinals after former No. 1 Karolina Pliskova withdrew because of an illness. Pliskova had advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Anhelina Kalinina 7-5 6-7(6) 6-2 in the round of 16.

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Swiatek, a three-time Grand Slam champion, has won her last five matches including the successful defense of her Qatar Open title last week.

Swiatek will face the winner of the all-American quarterfinal match between Madison Keys and Coco Gauff.

Keys beat Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-1, and the 18-year-old Gauff advanced after Australian Open runner-up Elena Rybakina withdrew from their scheduled match because of a lower back injury.

The other final-eight match features third-ranked Jessica Pegula against Karolina Muchova. AP

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)