Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek advanced to the semi-finals of the Qatar Open on Thursday with a straight-sets win over last year's runner-up Elena Rybakina. Second seed Swiatek staved off a fightback from the fifth-seeded Kazakh in the second set to win 6-2, 7-5. Ekaterina Alexandrova continued her impressive form against sixth seed Jessica Pegula, winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, having eliminated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the second round. After the exits of Rybakina and Pegula, Swiatek is the last survivor among the Doha seeds.