Irregular Iga SWIATEK battles past Sloane STEPHENS in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Iga Swiatek (No.1) defeated Sloane Stephens (No. 41) 6-4, 6-4, advancing to the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The Polish player was particularly erratic with many unforced errors, but she ultimately secured a challenging victory just two days after clinching the title at the Qatar Open.

Sloane Stephens played in Dubai for the first time in 10 years and mentioned that she is considering changes to her schedule. Swiatek led the head-to-head 2-0, with their last encounter at the 2022 US Open, where the Polish player won in straight sets and lifted her second Grand Slam trophy at the end of the tournament.

The first set was inconsistent for both players in terms of serving. After a 1-1 tie, there were six consecutive service breaks, maintaining parity until 4-4. Swiatek managed to hold her serve in the ninth game, and Stephens faltered for the fourth consecutive time, allowing the Polish player to lead 6-4.

Swiatek won 55% of points with her first serve and 33% with the second, while Stephens only secured 29% with her first serve and 56% with the second. Despite seven breaks in the set, only nine break points were played.

In the second set, Swiatek had over 20 unforced errors, which is unusual for the 4-time Grand Slam champion. Both players navigated pressure moments successfully. In the first game, Swiatek faced three break points against her, which Stephens couldn't convert. Similarly, Stephens saved three break points in the following game.

The match remained evenly contested between Swiatek and Stephens in a high-tension set due to the significant number of unforced errors from each. Out of a total of 13 break points in the second set, only one was converted, occurring in the last game of the set, securing Swiatek's final triumph at 6-4, 6-4.