Skip to content Elina Svitolina absorbed the heaviest blows Aryna Sabalenka could throw at the WTA Finals before pulling away in the third set to seal a 6-3 3-6 6-1 triumph in Indian Wells. The Ukrainian broke Sabalenka’s serve early in the decider and never looked back, booking her spot in the tournament’s final four.
The result shifts the balance of the tournament. Sabalenka entered the week as one of the title favourites, but Svitolina blunted her power by keeping points alive and forcing errors in the desert air.
Also read: Linda Noskova Sweeps Coco Gauff to Reach WTA Finals Semi-Finals
Svitolina handled Sabalenka’s huge delivery during the opening set. She stepped inside the baseline when opportunities appeared and closed out the frame 6-3. Sabalenka responded immediately, raising her intensity and overpowering Svitolina from the back of the court to level the contest.
How Svitolina broke open the WTA Finals decider
The deciding set began with tight exchanges from the baseline. Neither player gave ground across the first three games, yet Svitolina stayed composed under pressure.
The turning point arrived in the fourth game. Svitolina attacked Sabalenka’s delivery, secured a break to surge ahead 3-1, and drained the fight from her opponent. From that moment, the Ukrainian won the remaining games with relative ease.
“Very happy with the performance. It was not an easy match. It was a little bit of a roller coaster,” Svitolina told Sky Sports after walking off court. “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.”
A familiar Wimbledon rival awaits Svitolina
Svitolina now prepares for a semi-final showdown against Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The Czech player brings clean hitting and rapid court coverage to the matchup.
Svitolina knows the threat well. She acknowledged before the tournament that their paths were likely to cross at some stage in California.
“I knew from the start of the tournament this would be a possibility but I have no regrets or complaints. I’m in the semi-final and that’s amazing for me,” she said.
The matchup will test Svitolina’s legs after a grueling three-set battle. Even so, her defensive grit has carried her through tough moments all week.
Andreeva drops just 11 games at the WTA Finals
Mirra Andreeva produced another ruthless display on Friday. The teenager won 12 of the final 13 games to dismiss Diana Shnaider 6-2 6-1 in just 55 minutes.
Shnaider grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the opening set, but Andreeva erased the deficit without panic. Andreeva won 71 per cent of her first-serve points and converted six of her seven break point chances to complete an immaculate sweep of Group 2.
The victory gave Andreeva a perfect 3-0 group record, conceding a total of just 11 games across all three matches. That dominant run sends her into Saturday’s semi-finals against American Jessica Pegula.
Facing Shnaider brought mixed emotions for Andreeva. The two Russians qualified together in doubles last year, making their singles meeting unusual for both.
“I don’t know how much fun that was,” Andreeva said. “It’s nice to share a court with your friend. It’s more nerve-wracking for me personally because I know her well.”
Illness shakes up the $10 million field
Shnaider was thrown into action on short notice as the second alternate. She spent the week training without knowing if she would ever step onto the match court.
Her opportunity came after Karolina Muchova withdrew because of a gastrointestinal illness. Muchova, a Wimbledon finalist this season, had already dropped her opening two matches and was eliminated from semi-final contention regardless of Friday’s outcome.
The lack of match rhythm hurt Shnaider, who tallied 32 unforced errors in her singles debut at the event. Still, the withdrawal continued a disruptive trend for the eight-day, $10 million tournament.
Top-ranked Elena Rybakina withdrew before play started last Sunday due to exhaustion and a viral illness. Those absences opened doors across both groups, and the remaining contenders took full advantage.
The semi-final lineup is now set in California, with Andreeva meeting Pegula and Svitolina taking on Noskova on Saturday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Source: Sky Sports
