Daria Kasatkina exited the 2026 Qatar Open on Wednesday, opening strong before top seed Iga Świątek rallied from a set down to win 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in the third round.
Kasatkina took the opening set 7-5, threatening to hand Świątek her first loss of the tournament and only her second head-to-head defeat. But the three-time Qatar Open champion responded with authority, dominating the final two sets to reach the quarterfinals.
The 28-year-old Australian had been playing her best tennis in months heading into the match, defeating Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-0 in the second round after overcoming qualifier Moyuka Uchijima 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. The victories marked Kasatkina's first back-to-back wins since August.
"For a long time, I didn't feel like this on the tennis court," Kasatkina said after ousting Mertens. "It's something I was looking for over the past few months."
That momentum carried into Wednesday, as Kasatkina claimed her first set win against the world No. 2 since their lone previous meeting in 2021. But Świątek quickly found her rhythm.
The Polish star dominated the second set 6-1, later closing out the match by the same scoreline. Świątek improved to 7-1 all-time against Kasatkina, extending her head-to-head hardcourt advantage to 5-0.
Kasatkina now holds a 3-5 win-loss record in 2026. The former world No. 8 — currently ranked 61st — had endured a brutal start to the season with just one win across three tournaments, including a first-round loss at the 2026 Australian Open.
Despite the loss, Kasatkina's performance in Doha showed signs of resurgence, perhaps signaling a turnaround after months spent struggling.
Świątek will next face Greece's Maria Sakkari in Friday's quarterfinals as she pursues her fourth Doha title.
Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka is looking like her old self this week, as the world No. 24 advanced to the 2025 New York Grand Slam's third round for the first time since 2021 with a straight-set win over the US's No. 47 Hailey Baptiste on Thursday.
"I don't make it my business to know anymore, I kind of just leave it up in the air," said the fan favorite following questions about a possible fifth Grand Slam title run. "I've trained really hard. I practiced really hard. If it happens, it happens."
After taking her lumps on the WTA Tour since returning from pregnancy in 2024, the 2025 US Open marks Osaka's first seeded entry into a major tournament since 2022 — and she appears to be embracing her competitive boost in style, complete with eye-catching outfits and a matching Labubu.
The 27-year-old Japanese national next faces No. 18 Daria Kasatkina in the pair's third career meeting, with Osaka getting the best of the Australian in both previous matchups — most recently at the 2024 Italian Open.
Should Osaka advance to Sunday's Round of 16, she could be on a collision course toward a date with No. 3 Coco Gauff, after the US star advanced past her own emotionally challenging second-round battle on Thursday.
How to watch Naomi Osaka at the 2025 US Open
With times still to be announced, Osaka will next battle Kasatkina during the second day of 2025 US Open third-round play on Saturday.
Live coverage of the New York Grand Slam airs across ESPN platforms.