Swiatek extends perfect record over Gauff to reach Dubai final

Swiatek triumphed 6-4, 6-2 to set up a championship showdown with Barbora Krejcikova, who knocked out third seed Jessica Pegula 6-1, 5-7, 6-0.

Swiatek, who retained her Doha crown last week, will be targeting a sixth WTA 1000 title on Saturday. 

Each time she has reached the quarter-finals at this level in the past, the 21-year-old Pole has gone on to win the title.

She has dropped a mere nine games en route to the final, making it the fewest games every dropped by a player on the way to the championship match at a WTA 1000 tournament.

"I feel like it's little bit easier playing on slower hard courts comparing to what we played in Australia. I just feel like I can do a little bit more, and I'm kind of using that," explained Swiatek about her current ruthless form.

"It's a combination of couple of things because I also worked really hard to get my confidence back in Warsaw. And technique also I feel much better."

A love break in game three gave Swiatek an early advantage, the world number one outlasting her teenage opponent in a long rally that ended with a Gauff forehand error.

Swiatek widened the gap as Gauff dropped serve again but the Pole couldn't close out the set on her first attempt, getting broken for the first time in the eighth game.

Gauff dug deep to stave off two break points, venturing up to the net and peppering Swiatek with her backhand to hold for 4-5.

Serving for the set for a second time, Swiatek saw two more set points come and go before she finally converted her fifth to wrap up the opener in 51 minutes.

Gauff's forehand broke down after a lengthy exchange to hand over her service game to Swiatek at the start of the second set and the top seed was quickly up 4-0.

The young American got one of the breaks back but