Sabalenka stunned by Krejcikova in Dubai quarter-finals for first defeat of 2023

Aryna Sabalenka suffered her first defeat of the season on Thursday after Barbora Krejcikova staged a remarkable comeback to book her place in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals.

Sabalenka, on a 13-match winning run which took in her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, looked on course for another dominant victory when she swept into a one-set lead. But Krejcikova fought back from 1-3 down in the second set to level in a tiebreak before racing away with the decider for a superb 0-6, 7-6, 6-1 victory in four minutes shy of two hours.

It was a performance reminiscent of the form that guided the Czech to the French Open title in 2021 and up to a career-high No 2 in the world rankings just 12 months ago.

While injury setbacks have seen Krejcikova drop down the rankings to her current position of 30th, she has continued to dominate alongside compatriot Katerina Siniakova on the doubles circuit, and her run in Dubai suggests a return towards the top of the singles game is very much on the cards.

"I was just fighting," Krejcikova, 27, said. "There's not really much you can change because she plays well, she serves well, she hits really hard. I was just trying to get to her pace, just try to be a little more aggressive because otherwise, it's difficult to do something else."

Krejcikova will face Jessica Pegula for a place in the final after the American third seed was handed a walkover by quarter-final opponent Karolina Muchova, and the Czech is aiming for "revenge" having lost their most recent meeting at the Australian Open.

"I played her couple weeks ago. I'm looking forward for the revenge because in Australia I lost to her," she said. "I definitely want to just go there again and just enjoy the match, just fight for every single ball. If I'm able to do that, I think I definitely have a chance."

Full credit to Krejcikova but the result does deny Dubai the chance to host a final between the two best players on the planet, although world No 1 Iga Swiatek remains very much on course for a second title in as many weeks.

Such has been the manner of victory for Swiatek so far this week, her quarter-final walkover against former world No 1 Karolina Pliskova – a late withdrawal due to illness – was only marginally easier than her previous two matches, where the Pole conceded just three games.

Swiatek had arrived in Dubai after winning the Qatar Open, where she lost just five games in three matches, and that form has continued this week, marking a return to dominance after a comparative dip to start the year when set against her stunning 2022 season, which included eight titles and two Grand Slams.

There is one more match for Swiatek to get through before she reaches the final, though, and the top seed will take on American Coco Gauff in Friday's semi-finals. The fifth seed prepared for the ultimate test in women's tennis by producing an impressive display to defeat compatriot Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5.

Keys had been in fine form in Dubai, eliminating fourth seed Caroline Garcia and 15th seed Victoria Azarenka in the previous two rounds, but Gauff proved a step too far for the former US Open finalist.

Now it's Gauff's turn to face a step up in class, and history is not on the side of the 18-year-old fifth seed, who has lost all five previous meetings with Swiatek and is yet to win a set. In their past two matches, Gauff has been on the receiving end of a 6-0 set.

"I mean, no pressure, she's playing at the top of her game," Gauff said. "It's going to be a challenge. But to be honest, I think it's a good matchup just to see where I can maybe improve.

"I'm just going to go out there swinging. Whatever happens, happens. You just kind of have to go in believing you can win even when the odds seem stacked against you."