‘Proud’ Iga Swiatek breaks silence after suffering shocking loss to Anna Kalinskaya in Dubai just days after her Doha triumph

Iga Swiatek took to her Instagram to comment on her recent tournament experiences.

‘Proud’ Iga Swiatek breaks silence after suffering shocking loss to Anna Kalinskaya in Dubai just days after her Doha triumph

Iga Swiatek (via X)

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek took to her Instagram to explain herself after a string of tournaments, acknowledging the challenges and expressing her pride in the last couple of weeks.

After a disappointing run at the Australian Open, the Polish star directly played the last couple of tournaments in the Middle East as she won the Qatar Open. After some electrifying performances, and days after the victory, the 22-year-old was halted at the semi-finals at the Dubai Tennis Championships. 

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She fell short of qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, who played lights-out tennis and knocked out World No. 1, sealing her position in the finals. While acknowledging her disappointment, the Pole also highlighted the positives and her team’s effort. She concluded by expressing her excitement for other up-and-coming players who are having deep runs in the tournament. 

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So…my main thought is that I enjoyed the challenge and solving problems but now I’m glad to have some time to recover. Intense two tournaments, resilience, focus, some quality matches, and great fights. Overall I’m proud of myself and my team for these few weeks post-Melbourne.
Posted Iga Swiatek via Instagram. 

Despite the setback in Dubai, the 4-time Grand Slam champion expressed pride in her achievement and the hard work she put in. Shifting from the hard courts, the Pole gears up for her stint in the clay courts of California. The summer in the USA is about to begin, welcoming a star-studded tennis tour for their first 1000 tournaments. 

We did our best, I performed well, kept my standards high and I’m looking forward to sunny California. And let me say this again, what a week for Jasmine and Anna. Excited to see more players having deep runs and performing well.
Continuing further, she added

Anna Kalinskaya became the first player to beat Swiatek in straight sets in 343 days

Unstoppable champion Iga Swiatek had been on a roll, not losing any matches in straight sets in nearly one year. After a great run in Qatar, she faced her first loss at the hands of qualifier Anna Kalinskya. 

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (via X)

With that win, Kalinskaya became the first player to beat the World No. 1 in straight sets in 343 days. It was a disappointing loss for Swiatek, but she saw the positives of this match and expressed her excitement about upcoming players like Paolina and Kalinskaya. 

This concluded her stint in the Middle East and announced to be there for the first WTA 1000 of the season, the prestigious Indian Wells.

Headlining the tournament, the Pole will feature in both singles and mixed doubles. With the Olympics approaching closer with every passing day, the Pole gets in some practice with her partner before the auspicious day. She gears up for the next chapter of her season as the tour heads into the clay courts. 

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