Daniil&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;conquered all remaining doubts as he completed an impressive hat-trick, picking up a third title in as many weeks with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Andrey Rublev in the Dubai final on Saturday.

"Not over yet," scribbled the third-seeded&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;on the TV camera lens after his triumph, referring to his current 14-match winning streak amassed over the last 19 days, starting with the title in Rotterdam, followed by Doha and now Dubai.

"It's amazing because the start of the year was not perfect; in tennis, when you don't win tournaments you're always doubting no matter what happens in practice,” said&nbsp;Medvedev, who briefly dropped out of the top 10 last month before recovering in tremendous fashion.

"I was doubting a lot and now it just feels better. I'm really happy with these three weeks and I'm looking forward to the next ones."

Playing free-flowing tennis throughout the week, which earned him a coveted victory over world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals before ending Rublev's title defence in the final,&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;fired a total of 119 winners through five matches, including 27 in the championship decider.

"A lot of shots this tournament were landing, which were maybe not supposed to be, and that's when confidence is going sometimes, so that helps a lot," said&nbsp;Medvedev, who has now won his last four consecutive matches against top-10 opposition after losing nine in a row.

Rublev was the victor in his previous two clashes with&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;coming in, but had no answers for his compatriot on Saturday. He tried to venture up to the net, moving forward on 18 occasions, but was only successful on 12 of those approaches as&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;punished him from the back of the court.

"I think it was a very tactical match, I know that Andrey can cause a lot of troubles for everyone on tour. So for sure every time we play he tries to make me suffer, I try to make him suffer.&nbsp;

"Today I managed to be on top, but next matches could be a different story,” said&nbsp;Medvedev, who leads his childhood friend 5-2 head-to-head in tour-level meetings.

<h2>Medvedev&nbsp;starts quickly</h2>

Former world number one&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;put Rublev under pressure on serve from the start, and the No.2 seed had to come up with a courageous volley winner to fend off a first break point in the opening game. But&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;still found a way as he carved a 3-1 opening.

Rublev saved two break points to hold in game five but&nbsp;Medvedev&nbsp;still widened the gap with some exceptional returning two games later for a 5-2 advantage.

Medvedev&nbsp;confidently served out the opening set to take secure a one-set lead in 36 minutes. The 2021 US Open champion had dropped serve just twice all week and he kept that statistic intact in the final.

The 27-year-old blasted a forehand winner to break for 3-2 in the second set and he consolidated with ease as he marched towards victory shortly after.

Rublev has yet to successfully defend any of his 12 career titles but can take positives from his runner-up showing this week in Dubai.

"I had great matches, great victories, I was supposed to lose in the second round," said Rublev, who saved five consecutive match points in his encounter with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina earlier in the week.

"But in the end I found a way to be alive until the final, and then Daniil destroyed me tonight.&nbsp;

"Only four games, I don't know how he's doing that, three titles in a row, it's my first final of the season, I told him I'm completely destroyed and he won three titles in a row.&nbsp;

"I think I never said this to Daniil face to face, but I have huge, huge respect for him."

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Daniil Medvedev conquered all remaining doubts as he completed an impressive hat-trick, picking up a third title in as many weeks with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Andrey Rublev in the Dubai final on Saturday.

Daniil Medvedev conquered all remaining doubts as he completed an impressive hat-trick, picking up a third title in as many weeks with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Andrey Rublev in the Dubai final on Saturday. "Not over yet," scribbled the third-seeded Medvedev on the TV camera lens after his triumph, referring to his current 14-match winning streak amassed over the last 19 days, starting with the title in Rotterdam, followed by Doha and now Dubai. "It's amazing because the start of the year was not perfect; in tennis, when you don't win tournaments you're always doubting no matter what happens in practice,” said Medvedev, who briefly dropped out of the top 10 last month before recovering in tremendous fashion. "I was doubting a lot and now it just feels better. I'm really happy with these three weeks and I'm looking forward to the next ones." Playing free-flowing tennis throughout the week, which earned him a coveted victory over world number one Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals before ending Rublev's title defence in the final, Medvedev fired a total of 119 winners through five matches, including 27 in the championship decider. "A lot of shots this tournament were landing, which were maybe not supposed to be, and that's when confidence is going sometimes, so that helps a lot," said Medvedev, who has now won his last four consecutive matches against top-10 opposition after losing nine in a row. Rublev was the victor in his previous two clashes with Medvedev coming in, but had no answers for his compatriot on Saturday. He tried to venture up to the net, moving forward on 18 occasions, but was only successful on 12 of those approaches as Medvedev punished him from the back of the court. "I think it was a very tactical match, I know that Andrey can cause a lot of troubles for everyone on tour. So for sure every time we play he tries to make me suffer, I try to make him suffer. "Today I managed to be on top, but next matches could be a different story,” said Medvedev, who leads his childhood friend 5-2 head-to-head in tour-level meetings. Medvedev starts quickly Former world number one Medvedev put Rublev under pressure on serve from the start, and the No.2 seed had to come up with a courageous volley winner to fend off a first break point in the opening game. But Medvedev still found a way as he carved a 3-1 opening. Rublev saved two break points to hold in game five but Medvedev still widened the gap with some exceptional returning two games later for a 5-2 advantage. Medvedev confidently served out the opening set to take secure a one-set lead in 36 minutes. The 2021 US Open champion had dropped serve just twice all week and he kept that statistic intact in the final. The 27-year-old blasted a forehand winner to break for 3-2 in the second set and he consolidated with ease as he marched towards victory shortly after. Rublev has yet to successfully defend any of his 12 career titles but can take positives from his runner-up showing this week in Dubai. "I had great matches, great victories, I was supposed to lose in the second round," said Rublev, who saved five consecutive match points in his encounter with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina earlier in the week. "But in the end I found a way to be alive until the final, and then Daniil destroyed me tonight. "Only four games, I don't know how he's doing that, three titles in a row, it's my first final of the season, I told him I'm completely destroyed and he won three titles in a row. "I think I never said this to Daniil face to face, but I have huge, huge respect for him." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Daniil Medvedev beats Andrey Rublev to win Dubai title

Barbora&nbsp;Krejcikova&nbsp;defeated Iga Swiatek to claim the Dubai WTA title on Saturday, becoming just the fourth woman this century to defeat the top three players in the world at the same tournament. For former French Open champion&nbsp;Krejcikova, ranked 30 in the world, it was a sixth career title.

The 27-year-old Czech snapped world number one Swiatek's six-match, 12-set winning streak with a 6-4, 6-2 result in one hour and 31 minutes, in front of a capacity crowd at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis stadium. Krejcikova&nbsp;had also defeated second-ranked Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals and world number three Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals.

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sania-mirza-retires-world-no-1-iga-swiatek-reacts-after-indian-tennis-star-hangs-up-her-boots-564624">Sania Mirza retires: World No. 1 Iga Swiatek reacts after Indian tennis star hangs up her boots</a>

Only Venus Williams, Serena Williams and Sabalenka have managed to beat all top three players in a single tournament in the 2000s.

"It's a huge achievement, what I was able to do this week. I was really enjoying all the matches, I definitely love playing on the big courts," said&nbsp;Krejcikova, who will move up to 16 in the rankings on Monday. &nbsp;

It was a week of great escapes from&nbsp;Krejcikova&nbsp;-- who saved four match points against an eighth-ranked Daria Kasatkina in the second round and rallied back from 0-6, 1-3 down in her quarter-final against Sabalenka.

"This title definitely means a lot. It was a great week for me, I was improving every single game and today I showed my best," said&nbsp;Krejcikova, who also defeated Swiatek in the Ostrava final last October.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-bjorn-borg-leaves-felicitation-ceremony-to-watch-son-leo-play-after-karnataka-cm-bommai-runs-late-564714">Tennis: Bjorn Borg leaves felicitation ceremony to watch son Leo play after Karnataka CM runs late</a>

They are now 2-2 head-to-head in career meetings.

"I have so much respect for Iga, to me she is a big inspiration, she motivates me every day. It was a great final and I'm definitely happy with the result," she added.

A sharp-angled backhand from a nonchalant&nbsp;Krejcikova&nbsp;gave the Czech an opening service break that helped her to a 3-1 advantage.

Swiatek retaliated, getting back on level terms, but her break for three-all kicked off a series of four consecutive games where neither player managed to hold serve.&nbsp;

Krejcikova&nbsp;finally bucked the trend, taking the last eight straight points of the set to claim a 6-4 lead in 44 minutes. It was the first set Swiatek has lost since her Australian Open fourth round defeat to Elena Rybakina last month.&nbsp;

The 21-year-old Pole won Doha last week and arrived in Saturday's final having dropped just 14 games in six matches in the Gulf.

Swiatek took a toilet break between sets and had a brief argument with chair umpire Pierre Bacchi when she returned to the court, which eventually ended with her receiving a time violation for taking too long.

Both players regained stability on serve early in the second set before&nbsp;Krejcikova&nbsp;found an opening and inched ahead 4-2. That cushion was all the 27-year-old needed to close out a remarkable victory and clinch the sixth singles title of her career.

Swiatek lost a WTA 1000 final for the first time in her career. She had won all five she previously contested coming in.

"I'm pretty sure we're going to have many finals but hopefully next time it's going to go my way, because the last two went for you," Swiatek told&nbsp;Krejcikova&nbsp;after congratulating the Czech during the trophy ceremony.

"Sorry to my team. I'm pretty sure we're going to get many more, we're going to keep working."

Barbora Krejcikova defeated Iga Swiatek to claim the Dubai WTA title on Saturday, becoming just the fourth woman this century to defeat the top three players in the world at the same tournament.

Barbora Krejcikova defeated Iga Swiatek to claim the Dubai WTA title on Saturday, becoming just the fourth woman this century to defeat the top three players in the world at the same tournament. For former French Open champion Krejcikova, ranked 30 in the world, it was a sixth career title. The 27-year-old Czech snapped world number one Swiatek's six-match, 12-set winning streak with a 6-4, 6-2 result in one hour and 31 minutes, in front of a capacity crowd at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis stadium. Krejcikova had also defeated second-ranked Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals and world number three Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals. Read More: Sania Mirza retires: World No. 1 Iga Swiatek reacts after Indian tennis star hangs up her boots Only Venus Williams, Serena Williams and Sabalenka have managed to beat all top three players in a single tournament in the 2000s. "It's a huge achievement, what I was able to do this week. I was really enjoying all the matches, I definitely love playing on the big courts," said Krejcikova, who will move up to 16 in the rankings on Monday. It was a week of great escapes from Krejcikova -- who saved four match points against an eighth-ranked Daria Kasatkina in the second round and rallied back from 0-6, 1-3 down in her quarter-final against Sabalenka. "This title definitely means a lot. It was a great week for me, I was improving every single game and today I showed my best," said Krejcikova, who also defeated Swiatek in the Ostrava final last October. Also Read: Tennis: Bjorn Borg leaves felicitation ceremony to watch son Leo play after Karnataka CM runs late They are now 2-2 head-to-head in career meetings. "I have so much respect for Iga, to me she is a big inspiration, she motivates me every day. It was a great final and I'm definitely happy with the result," she added. A sharp-angled backhand from a nonchalant Krejcikova gave the Czech an opening service break that helped her to a 3-1 advantage. Swiatek retaliated, getting back on level terms, but her break for three-all kicked off a series of four consecutive games where neither player managed to hold serve. Krejcikova finally bucked the trend, taking the last eight straight points of the set to claim a 6-4 lead in 44 minutes. It was the first set Swiatek has lost since her Australian Open fourth round defeat to Elena Rybakina last month. The 21-year-old Pole won Doha last week and arrived in Saturday's final having dropped just 14 games in six matches in the Gulf. Swiatek took a toilet break between sets and had a brief argument with chair umpire Pierre Bacchi when she returned to the court, which eventually ended with her receiving a time violation for taking too long. Both players regained stability on serve early in the second set before Krejcikova found an opening and inched ahead 4-2. That cushion was all the 27-year-old needed to close out a remarkable victory and clinch the sixth singles title of her career. Swiatek lost a WTA 1000 final for the first time in her career. She had won all five she previously contested coming in. "I'm pretty sure we're going to have many finals but hopefully next time it's going to go my way, because the last two went for you," Swiatek told Krejcikova after congratulating the Czech during the trophy ceremony. "Sorry to my team. I'm pretty sure we're going to get many more, we're going to keep working."

Tennis: Barbora Krejcikova shocks world no. 1 Iga Swiatek to win Dubai WTA title

Roger Federer: From Mr Angry to Mr Perfect

Roger Federer defeated Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Dubai Championships to win his 100th career title.&nbsp;

The Swiss star is the second man to achieve the feat after America's Jimmy Connors who ended his career with 109 titles.&nbsp;

After winning the title,&nbsp;Federer hailed his "wonderful journey".&nbsp;

He said, "I'm so happy I'm still playing. It's been a long wonderful journey,"

"I've loved every minute. Winning 100 is an absolute dream come true,"&nbsp;Federer added.&nbsp;

"It's so special to win my eighth here combined with 100," Federer said. "I had tough opponents all the way through -- right up to Stefanos today.&nbsp;

"He's already having a great career, the game is in good hands."&nbsp;

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💯 titles for the 🐐 <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerfederer</a> <a href="https://t.co/3t3y5JO59N">pic.twitter.com/3t3y5JO59N</a>
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Tsitsipas, who will become the first Greek to ever reach the world's top 10 on Monday, paid tribute to his opponent.

"I've been idolizing him since the age of 6... And now sharing the court, it's even better," the 20-year-old said.

"100 is just completely insane -- I'd be happy with 100 wins. Seriously, I'm trying to get there."

Earlier he had said, "Reaching 100 titles -- we're still far from it. I'm just going to try to focus and play good tennis."

Roger Federer defeated Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Dubai Championships to win his 100th career title. The Swiss star is the second man to achieve the feat after America's Jimmy Connors who ended his career with 109 titles.

Roger Federer defeated Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Dubai Championships to win his 100th career title. The Swiss star is the second man to achieve the feat after America's Jimmy Connors who ended his career with 109 titles. After winning the title, Federer hailed his "wonderful journey". He said, "I'm so happy I'm still playing. It's been a long wonderful journey," "I've loved every minute. Winning 100 is an absolute dream come true," Federer added. "It's so special to win my eighth here combined with 100," Federer said. "I had tough opponents all the way through -- right up to Stefanos today. "He's already having a great career, the game is in good hands." 💯 titles for the 🐐 @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/3t3y5JO59N — Dubai Tennis Champs (@DDFTennis) March 2, 2019 × Tsitsipas, who will become the first Greek to ever reach the world's top 10 on Monday, paid tribute to his opponent. "I've been idolizing him since the age of 6... And now sharing the court, it's even better," the 20-year-old said. "100 is just completely insane -- I'd be happy with 100 wins. Seriously, I'm trying to get there." Earlier he had said, "Reaching 100 titles -- we're still far from it. I'm just going to try to focus and play good tennis."

Dubai Championships: Roger Federer beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 100th career title

Roger&nbsp;Federer will on Saturday become just the second man to win 100 career titles if he triumphs in the Dubai Championships final, but the legendary Swiss is not even thinking about reaching yet another landmark.&nbsp;

The 20-time Grand Slam champion beat Croatia's Borna Coric 6-2, 6-2, ending with an ace after just 67 minutes, in their&nbsp;Friday semi-final.

That put the 37-year-old into his tenth final in the emirate and 152nd of his career.

Jimmy Connors holds the record for men with 109 titles although even that is a long way back from Martina Navratilova's collection of 167 in the women's game.

"Reaching 100 titles -- we're still far from it. I'm just going to try to focus and play good tennis," said Federer.

Federer, seven times a Dubai champion, will have a score to settle with final opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas, who booked his place&nbsp;in the championship match with a 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) win over Gael Monfils.

The 11th-ranked Greek stunned Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January in their only previous tour meeting.

On Friday, Federer gained revenge for two losses he took last season against Coric, who beat him in the Halle final on grass and at the Shanghai Masters semi-finals.

The Swiss star grabbed the opening set in 22 minutes and began the second with a break on the way to his comfortable win in blustery conditions.

"Maybe the final is a little bit of a revenge match," admitted Federer on the prospect of facing Tsitsipas again.

"We've played a this year, in the Hopman Cup and then the Australian Open.&nbsp;

Defeat 'hurt'

"Obviously I was horribly disappointed and upset that I missed as many break points as I did, had all the opportunities I had. That (Melbourne) match kind of hurt in some ways.&nbsp;

"But, you know, it's part of the game. He did very well to get out of those tricky situations."

Federer added: "Tsitsipas is tough to play, tough to beat. He showed me that at the Australian Open, how hard he is."

Fifth-seed Tsitsipas will enter the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time in his career thanks to Friday's win.

"I don't know how I won," said Tsitsipas. "I was playing relaxed today, enjoying every moment. "I was probably a bit more concentrated than usual. I didn't want to give it to him.

"I was serving well and timed my returns. I had confidence going into the tiebreakers.

"I was not expecting much from myself, to be honest. I was just playing,." said the winner, who said he came to the court with some minor back pain and feared he might not be able to finish.

For Monfils defeat brings to an end an eight-match winning streak and an entertaining run in Dubai that comes a fortnight after winning in Rotterdam.

Monfils won five games in a row to take the opening set after going down a break, but was pegged back in a tense second that Tsitsipas won on a tie-break.

The Frenchman could easily have won the match had he not let four break points slip when 4-3 up in the final set, while Tsitsipas had to recover from three double faults at 5-6 down to force the tie-break&nbsp; from which he eventually won the match.

"I had some opportunities, I couldn't make them great today," said Monfils.

"I need to be better, that's it. I need to be better to win those big matches."

Roger Federer will on Saturday become just the second man to win 100 career titles if he triumphs in the Dubai Championships final, but the legendary Swiss is not even thinking about reaching yet another landmark.

Roger Federer will on Saturday become just the second man to win 100 career titles if he triumphs in the Dubai Championships final, but the legendary Swiss is not even thinking about reaching yet another landmark. The 20-time Grand Slam champion beat Croatia's Borna Coric 6-2, 6-2, ending with an ace after just 67 minutes, in their Friday semi-final. That put the 37-year-old into his tenth final in the emirate and 152nd of his career. Jimmy Connors holds the record for men with 109 titles although even that is a long way back from Martina Navratilova's collection of 167 in the women's game. "Reaching 100 titles -- we're still far from it. I'm just going to try to focus and play good tennis," said Federer. Federer, seven times a Dubai champion, will have a score to settle with final opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas, who booked his place in the championship match with a 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) win over Gael Monfils. The 11th-ranked Greek stunned Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January in their only previous tour meeting. On Friday, Federer gained revenge for two losses he took last season against Coric, who beat him in the Halle final on grass and at the Shanghai Masters semi-finals. The Swiss star grabbed the opening set in 22 minutes and began the second with a break on the way to his comfortable win in blustery conditions. "Maybe the final is a little bit of a revenge match," admitted Federer on the prospect of facing Tsitsipas again. "We've played a this year, in the Hopman Cup and then the Australian Open. Defeat 'hurt' "Obviously I was horribly disappointed and upset that I missed as many break points as I did, had all the opportunities I had. That (Melbourne) match kind of hurt in some ways. "But, you know, it's part of the game. He did very well to get out of those tricky situations." Federer added: "Tsitsipas is tough to play, tough to beat. He showed me that at the Australian Open, how hard he is." Fifth-seed Tsitsipas will enter the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time in his career thanks to Friday's win. "I don't know how I won," said Tsitsipas. "I was playing relaxed today, enjoying every moment. "I was probably a bit more concentrated than usual. I didn't want to give it to him. "I was serving well and timed my returns. I had confidence going into the tiebreakers. "I was not expecting much from myself, to be honest. I was just playing,." said the winner, who said he came to the court with some minor back pain and feared he might not be able to finish. For Monfils defeat brings to an end an eight-match winning streak and an entertaining run in Dubai that comes a fortnight after winning in Rotterdam. Monfils won five games in a row to take the opening set after going down a break, but was pegged back in a tense second that Tsitsipas won on a tie-break. The Frenchman could easily have won the match had he not let four break points slip when 4-3 up in the final set, while Tsitsipas had to recover from three double faults at 5-6 down to force the tie-break from which he eventually won the match. "I had some opportunities, I couldn't make them great today," said Monfils. "I need to be better, that's it. I need to be better to win those big matches."

Roger Federer in pursuit of historic title in Dubai

Elina Svitolina joined former world number ones Justine Henin and Venus Williams as a back-to-back Dubai title winner on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-0 cruise past Russia&#39;s Daria Kasatkina.

Svitolina, the world number four, won her 11th career title after a 70-minute rout of Kasatkina.

&quot;When they announced our names, they saying that Justine and Venus are the only ones who defended their titles, I was like, &#39;Okay, c&#39;mon, you have to do this.&#39; It really motivated me,&quot; said the Ukrainian.

The 20-year-old Kasatkina came into the match after playing for more than nine hours in previous rounds this week, saving five match points over two matches.

&quot;I was pleased with how I played here this week,&quot; said Svitolina. &quot;I expected the unexpected.

&quot;I&#39;m happy with how I handled the pressure, I was very happy with my performance on the court.&quot;

Svitolina beat Kasatkina for the third time in as many meetings.

&quot;It feels great, when I had to play well, I played well. I was serving good, returning well, getting lots of balls back,&quot; said the champion.

&quot;It was a&nbsp;solid performance -- maybe not amazing tennis, but I was pretty solid. It was enough.&quot;

The winner broke in the fifth game of the opening set but was temporarily stalled as Kasatkina saved three set points in the ninth game before Svitolina served out the set a game later.

The second set was a mere formality, with Svitolina racing away to the 299th win of her career at all levels of the professional game.

&quot;Elina was the toughest opponent for this final,&quot; Kasatkina said. &quot;She was playing really good all week.&nbsp;In the final, she showed her best tennis.&quot;

The Russian admitted her energy reserves ran low after her hectic week on court.

&quot;(I feel) only positive things, I spent an amazing 12 hours on the central court. I won four unbelievable matches.

&quot;I didn&#39;t have enough (energy) for the final, but still it was very nice week.&quot;

Kasatkina is guaranteed a move to a career-best 20th on Monday.

&nbsp;

Elina Svitolina joined former world number ones Justine Henin and Venus Williams as a back-to-back Dubai title

Elina Svitolina joined former world number ones Justine Henin and Venus Williams as a back-to-back Dubai title winner on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-0 cruise past Russia's Daria Kasatkina. Svitolina, the world number four, won her 11th career title after a 70-minute rout of Kasatkina. "When they announced our names, they saying that Justine and Venus are the only ones who defended their titles, I was like, 'Okay, c'mon, you have to do this.' It really motivated me," said the Ukrainian. The 20-year-old Kasatkina came into the match after playing for more than nine hours in previous rounds this week, saving five match points over two matches. "I was pleased with how I played here this week," said Svitolina. "I expected the unexpected. "I'm happy with how I handled the pressure, I was very happy with my performance on the court." Svitolina beat Kasatkina for the third time in as many meetings. "It feels great, when I had to play well, I played well. I was serving good, returning well, getting lots of balls back," said the champion. "It was a solid performance -- maybe not amazing tennis, but I was pretty solid. It was enough." The winner broke in the fifth game of the opening set but was temporarily stalled as Kasatkina saved three set points in the ninth game before Svitolina served out the set a game later. The second set was a mere formality, with Svitolina racing away to the 299th win of her career at all levels of the professional game. "Elina was the toughest opponent for this final," Kasatkina said. "She was playing really good all week. In the final, she showed her best tennis." The Russian admitted her energy reserves ran low after her hectic week on court. "(I feel) only positive things, I spent an amazing 12 hours on the central court. I won four unbelievable matches. "I didn't have enough (energy) for the final, but still it was very nice week." Kasatkina is guaranteed a move to a career-best 20th on Monday.

Elina Svitolina cruise past Daria Kasatkina to win Dubai Championship

Elina Svitolina is set ready to meet Daria Kasatkina in the final of Dubai Championship on February 24 at 8:30 PM as Svitolina beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3 and in a stunner match,&nbsp;Kasatkina saw off&nbsp;Garbine Muguruza 3-6, 7-6 (13/11), 6-1, saving three match points in her semi-final which lasted two and a half hours to reach the finals. Svitolina is hoping to become just the third woman after Justine Henin and Venus Williams to win back-to-back Dubai titles.

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One more final here in Dubai ???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/DDFTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDFTennis</a> <a href="https://t.co/wrbSX3q07p">pic.twitter.com/wrbSX3q07p</a>
&mdash; Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElinaSvitolina/status/967117062521925633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I&#39;m very pleased to be in the final again,&quot; said Svitolina after her fifth consecutive victory over Kerber.

&quot;It was a tough battle. I played well in the tight moments, I tried to focus only on what I had to do on court and let nothing else into my mind.

&quot;It should be a good final, Daria is playing well, and she&#39;s won some tough matches.&quot;

&quot;It was not my best day, I was trying to find my rhythm. But especially in my serve, I couldn&#39;t find it,&quot; the 30-year-old German said.

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/DKasatkina?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DKasatkina</a> talks about the &quot;fighting spirit&quot; that got her across the finish line and into the <a href="https://twitter.com/DDFTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDFTennis</a> final. <a href="https://t.co/ZpcdWz0ifb">pic.twitter.com/ZpcdWz0ifb</a>
&mdash; WTA (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/967104293705728002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I was just trying to fight for every ball because Garbine, she&#39;s playing unbelievable,&quot; Kasatkina said.&nbsp;

&quot;She&#39;s a very tough opponent. She&#39;s hitting so hard, playing so fast. I was just trying to do whatever I could.

&quot;Before the match I was really, really tired. When you&#39;re going on court, the adrenaline is coming.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;You start to run, blood start to run into your body, that&#39;s it. You&#39;re just focused on every ball. The tired is somewhere, going somewhere.&quot;

Muguruza was aiming to become only the fifth player to reach both Doha and Dubai finals in the same season having lost to Petra Kvitova in Qatar last weekend.

&quot;My game was fine. I feel I really struggled physically because I&#39;ve been playing so many matches in a row. Today was very physical,&quot; Muguruza said.

&nbsp;

Svitolina is hoping to become just the third woman after Justine Henin and Venus Williams to win back-to-back Dubai titles

Elina Svitolina is set ready to meet Daria Kasatkina in the final of Dubai Championship on February 24 at 8:30 PM as Svitolina beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3 and in a stunner match, Kasatkina saw off Garbine Muguruza 3-6, 7-6 (13/11), 6-1, saving three match points in her semi-final which lasted two and a half hours to reach the finals. Svitolina is hoping to become just the third woman after Justine Henin and Venus Williams to win back-to-back Dubai titles. One more final here in Dubai ???????? @DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/wrbSX3q07p — Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) February 23, 2018 × "I'm very pleased to be in the final again," said Svitolina after her fifth consecutive victory over Kerber. "It was a tough battle. I played well in the tight moments, I tried to focus only on what I had to do on court and let nothing else into my mind. "It should be a good final, Daria is playing well, and she's won some tough matches." "It was not my best day, I was trying to find my rhythm. But especially in my serve, I couldn't find it," the 30-year-old German said. .@DKasatkina talks about the "fighting spirit" that got her across the finish line and into the @DDFTennis final. pic.twitter.com/ZpcdWz0ifb — WTA (@WTA) February 23, 2018 × "I was just trying to fight for every ball because Garbine, she's playing unbelievable," Kasatkina said. "She's a very tough opponent. She's hitting so hard, playing so fast. I was just trying to do whatever I could. "Before the match I was really, really tired. When you're going on court, the adrenaline is coming." "You start to run, blood start to run into your body, that's it. You're just focused on every ball. The tired is somewhere, going somewhere." Muguruza was aiming to become only the fifth player to reach both Doha and Dubai finals in the same season having lost to Petra Kvitova in Qatar last weekend. "My game was fine. I feel I really struggled physically because I've been playing so many matches in a row. Today was very physical," Muguruza said.

Dubai Championship: Elina Svitolina to meet Daria Kasatkina in final

<a data-aria-label-part="" data-send-impression-cookie="true" href="https://twitter.com/AngeliqueKerber">Angelique</a>&nbsp;Kerber and Elina Svitolina will face off in another semi-final after both raced to quick straight-sets wins. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/garbine-muguruza-to-face-kasatkina-for-final-berth-33774">In the other semifinal</a>,&nbsp;Spaniard Garbine Muguruza is set to face Daria Kasatkina. Muguruza reached the Dubai Championships semi-finals for the second time with a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Caroline Garcia on Thursday. On the other hand, Daria Kasatkina won in the quarterfinals against Russian Elena Vesnina 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.

Holder and top seed Svitolina brushed aside Japan&#39;s Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 while German sixth seed Kerber won a rematch of the 2016 US Open final, beating Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3.

Kerber, ranked ninth after a good start to the season, claimed her 15th win of the year, pulling her level for the most on the WTA circuit with world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

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Danke! ????<a href="https://twitter.com/AngeliqueKerber?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AngeliqueKerber</a> delights young fans at <a href="https://twitter.com/DDFTennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDFTennis</a> Kids Day --&gt; <a href="https://t.co/zp1ta3W6PB">https://t.co/zp1ta3W6PB</a> <a href="https://t.co/WQgurfLS7S">pic.twitter.com/WQgurfLS7S</a>
&mdash; WTA (@WTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/966808832864210944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;I have much more confidence than when I started the year where I actually had no idea where I was, especially after last year,&quot; Kerber said.

&quot;I have already so many matches under my belt, so that gives me much more match confidence.

&quot;I&#39;m going out there and just thinking about the next match, the next point -- nothing else.&quot;

&quot;I had a couple of tough matches against her. I had to be ready for her to come back,&quot; Svitolina said. &quot;I had to be ready for her to raise her level.&quot;

World number four Svitolina took control of the opening set against Osaka with a 5-0 lead.

After claiming the first set, Svitolina&#39;s level dropped, with Osaka breaking in the second game and taking a 4-1 advantage before being reeled in.

Svitolina raced to victory with five consecutive games, closing out the win on a net cord.

&quot;Definitely I&#39;m happy the way I&#39;ve been handling the pressure and tough moments,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

&quot;I had two good matches. I cannot say it was amazing tennis, but when I needed to I was stepping up and playing well.&quot;

&nbsp;

Svitolina brushed aside Japan's Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 while German sixth seed Kerber won a rematch of the 2016 US Open final, beating Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3

Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina will face off in another semi-final after both raced to quick straight-sets wins. In the other semifinal, Spaniard Garbine Muguruza is set to face Daria Kasatkina. Muguruza reached the Dubai Championships semi-finals for the second time with a 7-5, 6-2 defeat of Caroline Garcia on Thursday. On the other hand, Daria Kasatkina won in the quarterfinals against Russian Elena Vesnina 7-6 (7/5), 6-1. Holder and top seed Svitolina brushed aside Japan's Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 while German sixth seed Kerber won a rematch of the 2016 US Open final, beating Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3. Kerber, ranked ninth after a good start to the season, claimed her 15th win of the year, pulling her level for the most on the WTA circuit with world number one Caroline Wozniacki. Danke! ????@AngeliqueKerber delights young fans at @DDFTennis Kids Day --> https://t.co/zp1ta3W6PB pic.twitter.com/WQgurfLS7S — WTA (@WTA) February 22, 2018 × "I have much more confidence than when I started the year where I actually had no idea where I was, especially after last year," Kerber said. "I have already so many matches under my belt, so that gives me much more match confidence. "I'm going out there and just thinking about the next match, the next point -- nothing else." "I had a couple of tough matches against her. I had to be ready for her to come back," Svitolina said. "I had to be ready for her to raise her level." World number four Svitolina took control of the opening set against Osaka with a 5-0 lead. After claiming the first set, Svitolina's level dropped, with Osaka breaking in the second game and taking a 4-1 advantage before being reeled in. Svitolina raced to victory with five consecutive games, closing out the win on a net cord. "Definitely I'm happy the way I've been handling the pressure and tough moments," she said. "I had two good matches. I cannot say it was amazing tennis, but when I needed to I was stepping up and playing well."

Dubai Championship: Kerber to meet Svitolina in semifinal

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