World No 1 Iga Swiatek makes impressive return with opening victory at Qatar Open

World No 1 Iga Swiatek made an impressive return to action with an emphatic victory over Danielle Collins at the Qatar Open on Wednesday.

Swiatek, playing her first match since the Australian Open, proved too strong for the American in Doha as she swept to a 6-0, 6-1 win in just 53 minutes in their second-round match.

The Pole lost just four points in the first set, which she wrapped up in 21 minutes.

After losing nine successive games, American Collins finally registered on the scoreboard at 3-1 in the second set, but Swiatek’s success was a formality.

She will now play world No 9 Belinda Bencic in the quarter-finals after the Swiss seventh seed came from behind to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Second seed Jessica Pegula, the world No 4, beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 and fourth seed Coco Gauff battled past Petra Kvitova 6-3, 7-6.

Third seed Caroline Garcia survived a scare before pulling through to beat world No 123 Karolina Muchova 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted three hours.