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The WTA tournament which Iga Swiatek won despite only spending three hours on court across the whole competition

Photo by Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Iga Swiatek will shortly make a return to action at Indian Wells, having last played at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month.

Swiatek will be honoured at Indian Wells, with the former world number one the current defending champion.

Rennae Stubbs wants Swiatek to improve her forehand down the line, having watched the Pole exit the Dubai Tennis Championships at the quarter-final stage.

Swiatek is a two-time Indian Wells champion, with the current WTA Tour number two winning last year and in 2022.

She defeated Maria Sakkari on both occasions, winning 6-4, 6-1 and 6-4, 6-0 for her first and second titles respectively.

BNP Paribas Open 2024 - Final Day
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

Iga Swiatek needed just three hours to win Doha 2023 title

But it is American players who enter their home tournament in the best form, with Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro winning the ATX Open and Merida Open titles respectively.

The latter needed just four hours and 43 minutes on court to lift the trophy, which ranks second for the least amount of time spent to win a WTA title in the last five years.

READ MORE: Iga Swiatek says what she hopes happens to Jannik Sinner after ban verdict announced as she explains how her case is different

That is according to OptaAce, with Swiatek topping the pile after needing just three hours to win in Doha in 2023.

Garbine Muguruza occupies third place on the list with her four-hour, 52-minute triumph in Chicago in 2021.

Elena Rybakina (four hours, 58 minutes) and Madison Keys (five hours) meanwhile complete the top five with their 2024 Brisbane and Strasbourg titles respectively.

How did Iga Swiatek win the 2023 Qatar Open title in just three hours?

The Pole impressed at the Qatar Open this time around, but ultimately lost to Jelena Ostapenko in the semi-finals.

Swiatek continues to struggle against Ostapenko, who went on to lose the Qatar Open final to Amanda Animisova.

READ MORE: What Iga Swiatek did against Jelena Ostapenko at the 2023 US Open that drove Sam Stosur ‘crazy’

But Swiatek will have very fond memories of the 2023 event thanks to her stunning run, having been the top seed in Doha.

She eased past Danielle Collins in the round of 32 back then, before seventh seed Belinda Bencic withdrew from their quarter-final tie.

RoundOpponentScore
SecondDanielle Collins6-0, 6-1
Quarter-finalsBelinda BencicW/O
Semi-finalsVeronika Kudermetov6-0, 6-1
FinalJessica Pegula6-3, 6-0
Iga Swiatek at the 2023 Qatar Open

A straight set semi-final win against Veronika Kudermetova was then secured, with Swiatek storming past Pegula in the final.

Swiatek clinched her 12th WTA title in Doha, losing just five games as she successfully defended her crown, with a third successive success secured in 2024.