Dubai Championships 2024: Qualifier Kalinskaya upsets World No. 1 Swiatek, faces Paolini in final

Kalinskaya will take on Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the title clash as the latter defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-6(6) in the first semifinal.

Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya in action during her semifinal match against Poland’s Iga Swiatek at the Dubai Championships on Friday. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya shocked World No. 1 Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final of the Dubai Championships, a WTA 1000 event, on Friday.

World No. 40 Kalinskaya will take on Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in her maiden tour-level final. Unseeded Paolini, ranked 14 places above Kalinskaya, defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 7-6(6) in the first semifinal after saving six set points.

Australian Open quarterfinalist Kalinskaya fought from a break and 4-2 down and forced Swiatek into making a number of errors with relentless hitting in the first set which the 25-year-old wrapped up in a little under an hour.

She broke early in the second set as Swiatek continued to spray the errors.

A frustrated Swiatek threw her racket to the floor at one point before Kalinskaya went up 2-0 and the Russian withstood some late pressure to close out the victory and snap the Doha champion’s seven-match winning run.

“She’s a great player. I know if I don’t stay calm and aggressive she’s going to destroy me,” Kalinskaya said.

“That was my plan. To stay aggressive, move her a lot. I’m happy I won. She’s unbelievable. I’m happy I had the chance to play against her. I’m sure we’ll play a lot in the future.”

Kalinskaya is only the second qualifier ever to reach the final of a WTA 1000 event since Caroline Garcia in Cincinnati two years ago. Garcia eventually won the title.

The 25-year-old Russian registered her third Top 10 win of the week, having defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the third round and Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals.

(With inputs from Reuters)