The match was delayed for several hours due to rain. Iga Świątek defeated Victoria Azarenka in straight sets, marking the second time a Polish player has beaten Azarenka 6-0 in a set, following their previous encounter in the 2024 Doha quarterfinals.
In the Round of 16, Poland's Iga Świątek will face Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska. Świątek, who received a bye in the first round, was dominant from the start, usually scoring points after short rallies.
Azarenka, making a series of unforced errors, had no answers to Świątek’s play. The 35-year-old from Minsk showed clear signs of frustration by the end of the first set, which lasted just 27 minutes, with Świątek winning 6-0, reflecting the one-sided nature of the match.
Despite Azarenka's attempts to fight back, Świątek dominated, winning 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour. Świątek will next face Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska, who won her match against Anastasia Potapova, as she continues her pursuit of her first Dubai title after reaching the semifinals last year and finishing runner-up in 2023.
The remaining Polish players have already been eliminated from the tournament - Magdalena Fręch and Magda Linette both lost in the first round, with Linette falling to Yastremska 3-6, 5-7.
Source: IAR/PAP/X/@WTA
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