Qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, 25, caused a major upset by defeating world number one Iga Swiatek in the Dubai Tennis Championships semifinals. Kalinskaya secured a 6-4 6-4 victory, stating that she knew she had to stay calm and aggressive to outplay the four-time Grand Slam champion. This victory marked Kalinskaya as the first qualifier to reach the final in Dubai, facing Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the upcoming final. In the other semifinal, Paolini overcame Romania's Sorana Cirstea with a 6-2 7-6 (8-6) scoreline. Kalinskaya expressed her satisfaction with the match against Swiatek and mentioned the likelihood of more encounters in the future. The final will witness Kalinskaya and Paolini meeting for the first time in a WTA 1,000 final after the former's victory in their previous encounter at the Australian Open. The defeat marked only the second loss in 26 matches for Swiatek, who recently claimed the Qatar Open title.