Elina Svitolina delivered a masterclass in defensive resilience and counter-punching on Friday, overwhelming second seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to book her spot in the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Finals.
Absorbing and redirecting Sabalenka’s ferocious baseline power, the Ukrainian broke serve six times across the three-set battle. After dropping the opening game of the decider, Svitolina seized complete control, eventually sealing her first victory over Sabalenka in more than six years with a crisp forehand winner on her fourth match point.
With the upset, Svitolina improved her career head-to-head record against the Belarusian to 2-6 and kept her hopes alive for a second WTA Finals crown, having previously won the title in 2018.
“It was a bit of a roller-coaster match,” Svitolina told reporters afterwards. “I played well in the first set but lost a little bit of rhythm. She played well in the second and served much better. I was really happy with the way I could come back in the third after losing the first game.”
Following the final point, Svitolina bypassed the net without shaking Sabalenka’s hand, maintaining her ongoing stance against players from Russia and Belarus in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She will now face Linda Noskova on Saturday for a berth in the championship match.
For Sabalenka, the loss brings a frustrating close to a year that began with dominant momentum. After capturing the Brisbane International in January and sweeping Indian Wells and the Miami Open in March to secure the coveted “Sunshine Double,” the Belarusian went titleless for the remainder of the season and relinquished the world number one ranking to Elena Rybakina at the US Open. Entering the Indian Wells finale as a heavy favourite following Rybakina’s pre-tournament withdrawal due to illness, Sabalenka declined to speak with the media after her exit.
Earlier in the day, tournament debutant Mirra Andreeva continued her clinical run through the round-robin stage, dispatching fellow Russian Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 to notch her third consecutive straight-sets win of the week.
Shnaider—Andreeva’s close friend and doubles partner—entered the draw as an alternate after Karolina Muchova was forced to withdraw ahead of the final round-robin slate due to a gastrointestinal illness. Having already locked up her semi-final qualification prior to taking the court, Andreeva will square off against American Jessica Pegula in Saturday’s other semi-final.
The eight-day, $10 million season finale is being hosted at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden after being relocated from Riyadh due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The tournament is scheduled to move to Charlotte starting next year.
