Preview: Iga Swiatek vs. Jelena Ostapenko and Ekaterina Alexandrova vs. Amanda Anisimova set up thrilling Qatar Open semifinals

We are now at the thrilling stage of the women’s draw in the Qatar Open, with some highly anticipated matchups on the horizon. Iga Swiatek will face Jelena Ostapenko, while Ekaterina Alexandrova is set to take on Amanda Anisimova.

These matches promise high-intensity battles as the four players compete for a spot in the final. The stakes are high, and each competitor will be looking to seise their moment in Doha.

Swiatek has been dominant in this tournament, proving once again why she is one of the best players on tour right now. The five-time Grand Slam champion is currently on a 15-match winning streak in Doha and is the clear favorite for the title.

In the quarter-finals, Swiatek secured a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Elena Rybakina, showing why she is the player to beat in this competition. She started strong, not facing a single break point in the first set. However, in the second, she had to fight through adversity after her serve was broken. Swiatek managed to recover and closed out the match, tying up her head-to-head record with Rybakina.

"I'm super happy, super proud of myself. Playing against Elena is never easy," Swiatek said afterward."At the beginning of the second set, she increased her level, so I needed to do that, too, to come back."I'm really happy to break Elena, especially in the last game, because her serve is tough."

Now, Swiatek hopes to get her first win over Ostapenko, whom she has never beaten in their three previous encounters.

"Because of the head-to-head, I can kind of play without expectations and just focus on work, maybe try to change something so I can finally win," Swiatek said.

Ostapenko, however, has been in fantastic form lately and looks like a real threat in this tournament. She defeated Jasmine Paolini and Liudmila Samsonova before securing a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ons Jabeur in the quarter-finals.

Ostapenko knows she has a favorable record against Swiatek and is looking forward to their clash.

"She doesn't like my style of tennis. She likes to dictate the game, and it is difficult for her in games against me – I try to play more aggressively," Ostapenko said.

Her confidence is well-founded, as she has shown time and time again that her aggressive baseline play troubles Swiatek. With their history, this semifinal match is shaping up to be a must-watch encounter, with Swiatek looking to break the losing streak and Ostapenko aiming to continue her dominance over the world No. 1.

Alexandrova has been on fire in Qatar, producing big wins over Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jessica Pegula. After a slow start against Pegula, where she hit three double faults in the opening game, Alexandrova rallied back to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

The victory marked her eighth win over a top-five player, and she will now compete in her third WTA 1000 semifinal.

After the match, Alexandrova shared her thoughts on her fantastic run in Qatar.

"Honestly, I don't know," she said."I'm just trying to play every match, every single point, and try not to think about the future, just be present and just [go] step by step."I'm glad it's working out because I feel amazing right now, and to be here in the semifinals is just great."

She admitted that she didn’t expect to make it this far in the tournament.

"Probably not; I was not thinking about that because when I saw the draw, I thought maybe not so far, but I just play every single match and hope for the best," Alexandrova said."I'm really happy with the result and the way I'm playing right now, so I want to keep it going as long as possible, no matter what."Overall, it was a great match for me here, and I'm hoping to continue that."

Meanwhile, Anisimova has had a breakout tournament in Qatar, pulling off big wins against Leylah Fernandez, Paula Badosa, and Victoria Azarenka. Her latest victory came after a grueling two-and-a-half-hour battle against Marta Kostyuk, where she recovered from losing the first set to take the next two in a hard-fought win.

Anisimova, known for her powerful groundstrokes and calm under pressure, has looked in incredible form this week. After missing a significant part of the 2023 season, she has made an impressive return to the WTA Tour, proving she can still compete at the highest level.

"I'm just happy to be back on tour competing in these big matches," Anisimova said after her win against Kostyuk."Each match gives me more confidence, and I'm just taking it one match at a time."

Now, Anisimova heads into the semifinals, looking to continue her dream run in Qatar.

The semifinals in Doha promise to be thrilling matchups, with four in-form players competing for the title. Swiatek is seeking redemption against Ostapenko, while Alexandrova and Anisimova are both hoping to reach their first WTA 1000 final.

There are going to be two great matchups in Qatar. It'll be interesting to see who comes out on top. All athletes will fancy their chances of getting the title, but only time will tell.

Each of them have shown they can produce sensational performances it will be about who can put it all together on the day. Of course Swiatek will be the clear favourite, but an upset could always be on the cards.