Maria Sakkari defeated Iga Świątek 2–6, 6–4, 7–5 in the Qatar Open quarter-final on hard court in Doha on 12 February 2026, producing a significant upset against the heavy favourite. Świątek entered as the clear pre-match favourite at 1.09 odds, whilst Sakkari was positioned as an underdog at 6.74, yet the Greek player mounted a strong comeback after losing the opening set. Sakkari's second-set recovery proved decisive, establishing momentum that carried into a tight decider where she edged out her opponent in the final set. The result represents a notable scalp for Sakkari and raises questions about Świątek's consistency on hard courts in the early season.