It only took 91 minutes and two sets (6-4, 6-2) for Krejcikova to bend Swiatek and afford the sixth title of his career, the most prestigious after his coronation at Roland Garros in 2021.
Thanks to this convincing success against the completely overwhelmed world No. 1, the Czech will go from 30th to 16th place in the WTA rankings on Monday.
She also cemented her place in the history of women’s tennis, defeating world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals in the United Arab Emirates and so the world No. 1 Swiatek in the final.
Before her, only four players had achieved such a feat: Steffi Graff at Roland Garros in 1999, Serena Williams in Miami in 2002, her older sister Venus at the end-of-season Masters in 2008 and Sabalenka at the Masters also, in 2022.
“What I achieved this week is huge,” admitted Krejcikova.
“I’m really very happy, it was a great final against a player for whom I have a lot of admiration,” continued the 27-year-old right-hander.
Like in Ostrava
She can boast of having brought down Swiatek from a very high level: the Pole had won the title in Doha last weekend and had chained eight consecutive victories before this final.
Even stronger, the world No. 1, who benefited, it is true, from the package of the Czech Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals, had lost in Dubai only nine games, unheard of in a WTA 1000 tournament, before the duel for the title.
But in the final, she never managed to find answers against the power of Krejcikova, more mobile and more inspired.
The Czech, who came very close to elimination in the second round, scored six aces during this match where she always led the race, taking the serve of her opponent five times.
Long categorized as a doubles specialist, Krejcikova, then 33rd in the world, caused a sensation in 2021 by winning on the clay court of Romand Garros when she had never passed the round of 16 in a Grand Slam tournament.
While she peaked at No. 2 in the world in February, her 2022 season was very disappointing, with an enforced three-month break due to an elbow injury, first-round elimination at Roland Garros and repeated failures until in the fall, when she reassured herself by winning in front of her home crowd in Ostrava by beating in the final… Swiatek, already.