DOHA, Qatar — Iga Swiatek, the three-time reigning champion, secured her place in the semifinals of the Qatar Open after a commanding victory over Elena Rybakina with scores of 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday.

Swiatek is now set to compete against Jelena Ostapenko, who advanced by defeating Ons Jabeur with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-2, as both players aim for a chance to compete in the final match.

After her match against Rybakina, Swiatek commented on the second set, noting that her opponent had increased her performance level, prompting Swiatek to elevate her own game. This encounter served as a rematch from the title showdown of the previous year.

Prior to this match, Rybakina had an edge over Swiatek, leading their head-to-head encounters 4-2 at the start of the year; however, they are now even in their overall match-up.

In another notable match, Ekaterina Alexandrova continued her impressive streak by knocking out sixth seed Jessica Pegula with a final score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. The 26th-ranked Alexandrova had earlier triumphed over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the tournament.

Reflecting on her performance, Alexandrova said, “When I examined the draw, I doubted how far I could go, but I have played remarkably well throughout the tournament so far, and I hope to maintain this momentum.”

In the semifinals, Alexandrova will face another American player, as Amanda Anisimova secured her spot by overcoming Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk with scores of 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.