DOHA, Qatar — Iga Swiatek, the three-time reigning champion, successfully made her way to the semifinals of the Qatar Open after defeating Elena Rybakina with a score of 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday.

In the semifinals, Swiatek will compete against Jelena Ostapenko, who secured her place by overpowering Ons Jabeur with a decisive 6-2, 6-2 victory.

After the match against Rybakina, Swiatek, currently ranked second, acknowledged that Rybakina elevated her performance in the second set, compelling her to enhance her own game as well.

At the beginning of the year, Rybakina held a 4-2 advantage in their encounters, but their latest showdown has now resulted in a tie between the two players.

In another match, Ekaterina Alexandrova extended her impressive performance by knocking out sixth-seeded Jessica Pegula, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Ranked 26th, Alexandrova had previously claimed victory over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka earlier in the tournament.

Reflecting on her journey so far at the Qatar Open, Alexandrova expressed her initial doubts about her potential to advance far in the competition. However, she has been pleased with her performances to date and hopes to maintain her winning streak moving forward.

Next, Alexandrova will play against either Amanda Anisimova or Marta Kostyuk from Ukraine.