Elina Svitolina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, securing her first win over Sabalenka in six years and a semifinal spot.
Elina Svitolina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California, on Friday, reaching the semifinals for the first time since 2019. It was Svitolina's first win over Sabalenka in six years.
Svitolina recovered from an early break to take the first set 6-3. Sabalenka rallied to win the second set 6-3. In the third set, Svitolina broke twice to take a 5-1 lead and closed out the match on her fourth match point.
"Very happy with the performance. It was not an easy match. It was a little bit of a roller coaster," Svitolina told Sky Sports.
"I played well in the first set, she stepped up the game and the third I tried to put an 'extra' ball over the net."
Svitolina said she was trying to play one point at a time, according to the BBC. Sabalenka did not speak to the media afterward, according to Newsday.
Svitolina will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the semifinals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mirra Andreeva, who won Group 2 with a 3-0 record, will face Jessica Pegula in the other semifinal.
Andreeva beat Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1, winning 12 of the final 13 games. Shnaider entered as a late replacement for Karolina Muchova, who withdrew with a gastrointestinal illness.
The result eliminated Sabalenka from the WTA Finals and sent Svitolina into the knockout stage. Andreeva finished top of Group 2, while Svitolina finished second.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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