Maria Sakkari upset Iga Świątek 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday, advancing to her third Qatar Open quarterfinals. Over two hours and 29 minutes, Sakkari ended a nearly five-year winless streak against the world No. 2.
Świątek, a three-time Qatar Open champion at the event, entered on an 18-2 tournament record. However, she went on to commit 16 backhand errors while struggling at the net throughout the match.
The 30-year-old Greek tennis star took the second set, breaking early for a 2-0 lead. Świątek later leveled, earning two break points while serving in the ninth game. But Sakkari held for 5-4, closing the set on Świątek's 16th backhand error.
In the third set, Sakkari opened a 5-2 lead before Świątek broke back twice to level at 5-5, saving a match point with an ace. A disputed double-bounce call disrupted Sakkari's momentum briefly. She held for 6-5, then earned two more match points. On the third, Świątek put a forehand volley into the net.
"I'm speechless because it's been a while since I had a big win like today," Sakkari said postmatch. "When you drop in the rankings and you're not playing the semis, you start doubting yourself and think you’re never beating those players again."
The Qatar Open win marks the first time Sakkari has recorded two Top 10 wins at the same tournament since the 2022 WTA Finals.
"It's amazing," Sakkari added. "This is one of the best tournaments of the season so it's a huge honor."
How to watch Maria Sakkari in the 2026 Qatar Open semifinals
Sakkari will next face either Karolina Muchova or Anna Kalinskaya in Saturday's Doha semifinals, live on The Tennis Channel.
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.
Coco Gauff exited the 2026 Qatar Open after a second-round upset this week, with Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto ousting the world No. 5 6-4, 6-2.
At No. 57 in the WTA rankings, Cocciaretto entered the main draw only after McCartney Kessler withdrew, having lost in the final qualifying round. Cocciaretto subsequently dismantled Gauff with aggressive early-ball striking and precise backhands throughout both sets.
The match's defining moment arrived at 3-3, when Cocciaretto won a 33-shot rally to take control. She closed out the set by saving break points in each of her final two service games.
The second set went even smoother for Cocciaretto. The 25-year-old Italian broke immediately, cruising home as Gauff's unforced error count climbed to 39.
"She was just taking the ball early and crushing the ball," Gauff said postmatch.
"I think I need to figure out how to play against players like her who hit super flat and take everything pretty much early. I think the last two matches have shown that I've been struggling with that."
The win marked Cocciaretto's third career Top 10 victory and her first at a WTA 1000 event outside a Grand Slam. She previously scored major upsets at both the 2023 French Open and last year's Wimbledon tournament.
Cocciaretto said she drew inspiration from Italian Olympic skier Sofia Goggia, after Goggia won bronze in Cortina this week. She next faces fellow American Ann Li for a spot in the quarterfinals.
What's next for US tennis star Coco Gauff?
After her early exit in Doha, Gauff now shifts her focus to the 2026 Dubai Championships. There she'll look to regain form as the WTA's hard-court Middle East swing continues.
Elena Rybakina has won a second career Grand Slam, as the Kazakhstani tennis star took down world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to earn her first Melbourne title at the 2026 Australian Open on Saturday.
The tight battle saw Sabalenka respond to her first-set loss by securing the second set before mounting a 3-0 third set — until Rybakina went on a five-game winning streak to regain control of the match.
"The heart rate was definitely beating too fast," the 26-year-old said following her win. "Even maybe [my] face didn't show, but inside it was a lot of emotions."
Along with her $2.79 million winner's check, Rybakina also exits the season's first Slam with a promotion in the WTA standings, with the previous No. 5 securing the world No. 3 spot on Monday.
Her latest Grand Slam trophy now joins the Wimbledon hardware Rybakina won in 2022, while Saturday's title match leaves Sabalenka with a 4-4 all-time record in major tournament finals — including back-to-back Australian Open losses.
"I played great until [a] certain point, and then I couldn't resist that aggression that she had on court today," Sabalenka said after the defeat.
"Today I'm a loser, maybe tomorrow I'm a winner," the 27-year-old continued. "Hopefully I'll be more of a winner this season than a loser."
How to watch Rybakina & Sabalenka on the next 2026 WTA Tour stop
Tennis's top stars will return to action at next week's Qatar Open, with US standout No. 4 Amanda Anisimova defending her title when the WTA 1000 tournament hits the hardcourt on Sunday.
The 2026 Qatar Open will air live on the Tennis Channel.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is back like she never left, following up her brief post-US Open championship recovery break and booking a spot in the 2025 Wuhan Open semifinals by blowing past the tournament's competition with a straight-set victory over No. 9 Elena Rybakina on Friday morning.
With the last three Wuhan Open titles under her belt — 2018, 2019, and 2024 — Sabalenka extended her career tournament record to 20-0 on Friday, as she gears up to take on US star No. 6 Jessica Pegula in the semifinals early Saturday morning.
"Honestly, that's just crazy," Sabalenka said of her success at the WTA 1000 event. "I feel a really great connection with the Chinese fans, I guess. I feel like at home playing in this stadium."
Sabalenka and Pegula aren't the only big names advancing this week, as No. 3 Coco Gauff cruised past unseeded Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-0 to book her own semifinal appearance on Friday.
While the US star had little trouble dispelling her quarterfinals opponent, Polish phenom No. 2 Iga Świątek wasn't so lucky, falling to Italy's No. 8 Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 6-2 to set up a tight Saturday semifinals clash between Gauff and Paolini.
Sabalenka and Pegula's semi could also go the distance — Pegula is coming off six straight three-set matches dating back to the 2025 China Open, emerging victorious from five of them.
How to watch the 2025 Wuhan Open semifinals
Gauff and Paolini will kick off the 2025 Wuhan Open semifinals at 5 AM ET on Saturday, with Sabalenka taking on Pegula shortly after the first match.
The semifinal winners will then battle for the championship trophy on Sunday.
Live coverage of the semifinals and final will air on the Tennis Channel.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka keeps pushing, as the world No. 16 tennis star followed up her blockbuster comeback run at the 2025 US Open with a first-round win at the Wuhan Open this week.
The Japanese fan favorite battled back from a first-set loss to defeat 2021 US Open finalist and current world No. 27 Leylah Fernandez 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 late Monday night, just weeks after suffering an unexpected exit in the first-round of the 2025 China Open.
Monday's Round of 64 win marked Osaka's seventh come-from-behind victory this year, tying her own single-season comeback record.
Osaka still has hills to climb against other top players in Wuhan, including the likes of No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who will return to action early Wednesday morning in her first competitive match since her successful US Open title defense last month.
Also in the mix at the 2025 Wuhan Open are No. 2 Iga Świątek, No. 3 Coco Gauff, and No. 6 Jessica Pegula, with Świątek already cruising through her Round of 32 hurdle in straight sets early Tuesday morning.
Notably, after powering through a lingering calf injury to win the 2025 China Open on Sunday, US star No. 4 Amanda Anisimova withdrew from the Wuhan tournament to recover and gear up for her first-ever WTA Finals next month.
How to watch the 2025 Wuhan Open
The 2025 Wuhan Open resumes at 11 PM ET on Tuesday, with Pegula, Gauff, Sabalenka, and Osaka all facing their Round of 32 opponents before dawn on Wednesday.
Live coverage of the WTA 1000 tournament airs on the Tennis Channel.
As the 2025 tennis calendar hits the home stretch, the WTA's finest will hit the hardcourt at the 1000-level China Open this week — with invites to November's WTA Finals on the line.
Top US players including world No. 3 Coco Gauff, No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, and No. 7 Jessica Pegula will begin their 2025 China Open campaigns when the tournament's Round of 64 starts late Thursday night.
Also aiming for the lion's share of the competition's nearly $9 million prize pool — including a winner's check over $1.1 million — are 2023 China Open champ No. 2 Iga Świątek, 19-year-old rising star No. 23 Victoria Mboko, and recent US Open semifinalist and fan favorite No. 14 Naomi Osaka.
The world No. 1, however, will miss this edition of the tournament, as back-to-back US Open champ Aryna Sabalenka withdrew due to "a minor injury" earlier this month.
As for the competition's reigning champion, Gauff will kick off both her title defense and the Round of 64 on Thursday, following up her 2024 success by winning her second career Grand Slam at the 2025 French Open in June.
"I think winning the French Open helped me take that weight off," Gauff told reporters about the pressure of defending her 2024 trophy. "I definitely feel a lot lighter. It feels like a practice tournament."
How to watch the 2025 China Open
The Round of 64 at the 2025 China Open kicks off with Gauff taking on No. 89 Kamilla Rakhimova at 11 PM ET on Thursday.
All tournament matches will stream live on the Tennis Channel.
Tennis star Iga Świątek can cross another item off her bucket list, with the world No. 3 downing No. 10 Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday to clinch a spot in the 2025 Cincinnati Open final — Świątek's first-ever championship appearance at the US Open tune-up tournament.
"At the beginning, the level was pretty crazy," the six-time Grand Slam winner told reporters after Sunday's match, commending Rybakina. "But I was there to play with intensity, good quality, and I'm happy with the performance."
One of only two WTA 1000 events without a Świątek finals appearance, the annual Cincinnati Open has seen the Polish tennis star advance to the semifinals in both 2023 and 2024 — falling both times to the eventual tournament champion.
With No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Coco Gauff both making quarterfinal exits, Świątek will next face No. 9 Jasmine Paolini in Monday's final, after the Italian contender fought past No. 36 Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 in their Sunday afternoon semifinal.
Świątek last shared a finals court with Paolini at the 2024 French Open, with Świątek going on to lift her fourth Roland Garros trophy following a straight-set victory in the clash.
How to watch the 2025 Cincinnati Open final
The 2025 Cincinnati Open final between Świątek and Paolini kicks off at 6 PM ET on Monday, with live coverage airing on the Tennis Channel.
Tennis fans saw an epic battle on Monday, as world No. 39 Emma Raducanu forced No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka into a third-set tiebreak in the third round of the 2025 Cincinnati Open.
The British 22-year-old, who burst into the sport's upper echelons by winning the 2021 US Open as an unseeded teenage qualifier, came achingly close to ousting the top-ranked three-time Grand Slam winner in a match that required more than three hours and two tie-breaks to resolve.
"She's world No. 1 for a reason, and I pushed her more than I did at Wimbledon so that's an improvement," said Raducanu, ultimately falling to the 2024 Cincinnati Open winner in Monday's narrow 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) loss.
Clearly affected by the oppressive humidity of the southern Ohio summer, Sabalenka took risks in the match's late stages to offset her 72 unforced errors and her diminishing energy.
"At the end, I went for crazy shots," Sabalenka told the crowd following the 2025 US Open tune-up match. "I think that it was a little bit risky from me and it really helped to put a lot of pressure on her."
Along with Sabalenka, this week's Round of 16 will feature at least four other Top-10 contenders, as 2025 Australian Open victor No. 6 Madison Keys and Kazakhstan's No. 10 Elena Rybakina booked their own Round of 32 wins on Monday, while 2025 French Open champion No. 2 Coco Gauff and 2025 Wimbledon winner No. 3 Iga Świątek enjoyed extra rest as their third-round opponents withdrew due to illness and injury on Tuesday.
Hoping to join the Gauff and Keys's advancing US contingent are No. 4 Jessica Pegula and No. 35 Ashlyn Krueger, who will face Poland's No. 40 Magda Linette and Italy's No. 9 Jasmine Paolini, respectively, on Tuesday.
How to watch the Cincinnati Open
Tennis's best will keep battling for Cincy's trophy — and an edge going into the season's final Grand Slam — this week: The third round will wrap on Tuesday before the Round of 16 kicks off on Wednesday.
Live coverage of the 2025 Cincinnati Open will continue airing on the Tennis Channel.
The 2025 Canadian Open wrapped up with a storybook ending in Montréal, as 18-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko earned her first-ever WTA Tour title by defeating four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in Thursday's final.
"I would have never thought that I would have made it to the final, let alone win the tournament," Mboko said after battling back to take down Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. "It just proves that your dreams are closer than they [seem]."
The largely unexpected final matchup capped a 2025 Canadian Open that saw every seeded player fall, with Mboko putting together a dream run that included ousting four Grand Slam champions — Osaka, Sofia Kenin, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff.
Thursday saw Mboko become just the third-ever Canadian to win the event, plus the teen phenom made tennis history as only the third wild-card entrant to ever claim victory in a WTA 1000 tournament.
As for Osaka, despite falling just short of the finish line, the 2025 Canadian Open was a distinct return to form for the fan favorite, who put together her most successful tournament run in three years in Montréal this week.
Both finalists earned a significant rankings bump with their performances this week, with Osaka rising to world No. 25 while Mboko, who started the 2025 season outside the WTA's Top 350, skyrocketed to No. 24.
Having withdrawn from the 2025 Cincinnati Open due to the near-impossible turnaround between Thursday's final in Montréal and their Saturday matches in Ohio, both Mboko and Osaka will enjoy some much-deserved rest before gearing up for the season's final Grand Slam — the 2025 US Open.