Elina Svitolina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, California, on Friday.
The victory secured Svitolina the final semifinal berth in Group 2. The eight-day, $10 million tournament was moved from Riyadh to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden due to the US-Israeli war on Iran and is scheduled to be played in Charlotte starting next year.
Svitolina Breaks Six-Year Drought Against Sabalenka
The deciding set saw Svitolina take control after a tightly contested start to the match. Svitolina absorbed Sabalenka’s power effectively and broke the Belarusian six times before closing out the win with a forehand winner on her fourth match point.
It was a bit of a roller-coaster match.
Elina Svitolina
“Very happy with the performance. It was not an easy match. It was a little bit of a roller coaster,” Svitolina told reporters after the match.
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.
Elina Svitolina
The result marked Svitolina’s first victory over Sabalenka in more than six years, improving her career head-to-head record against the Belarusian to 2-6.
Svitolina and Andreeva Advance to the Semifinals
With the win, Svitolina finished round-robin play in Group 2, joining Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals. Andreeva topped the group with a 3-0 record, dropping only 11 games overall after defeating fellow Russian Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 on Friday.
It’s nice to share a court with your friend. It’s more nerve-wracking for me personally because I know her well.
Mirra Andreeva
In Saturday’s semifinals, Svitolina will face Group 1 winner Linda Noskova, while Andreeva will meet American Jessica Pegula.
Rankings and Season Aftermath for Sabalenka
Sabalenka’s elimination concludes a season that featured titles at the Brisbane International, Indian Wells, and the Miami Open, but ended without another title after March. The defeat also guarantees that Sabalenka will finish the year behind Andreeva in the year-end rankings.
Sticking to her established custom regarding competitors from Russia and Belarus in the wake of the Kremlin’s offensive in Ukraine, Svitolina bypassed the traditional post-match handshake with Sabalenka.
Having previously triumphed at the WTA Finals in 2018, Svitolina came into this fixture needing a victory to prolong her tournament campaign following an earlier round-robin defeat to Andreeva. Her path to the final four required immense fortitude after dropping the first set against Muchova, only to roar back with a comeback victory.
Sabalenka, who had surrendered the top ranking to Elena Rybakina at the US Open, arrived among the favourites following Rybakina’s withdrawal due to illness on the eve of the tournament.
The Belarusian initially capitalized on an aggressive start, firing an angled forehand winner to secure an immediate break of serve and taking a 2-0 lead. She established a 4-1 advantage in the second set before Svitolina clawed her way back.
Sabalenka steadied herself to capture the second set 6-3, forcing a third set that decided the remaining semifinal qualifier. However, unforced errors and inconsistency plagued her once again in the decider. After giving up an early lead, she threw her racquet to the ground in frustration as Svitolina remained solid to turn the set around.
Sabalenka declined to speak to media representatives following the conclusion of the match, bringing a swift end to her campaign in California. Meanwhile, Svitolina celebrated the triumph, emphasizing her determination to keep an extra ball in play during the tense final frame. The Ukrainian now prepares to face Noskova, while tennis fans react to changes among the top-ranked women on the professional tour.
Earlier coverage: WTA Finals: Coco Gauff beats Jessica Pegula and Linda Noskova beats Marta Kostyuk
