Elina Svitolina ended a six-year wait against Aryna Sabalenka, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the WTA Finals semi-finals, while Mirra Andreeva beat Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 to finish Group 2 unbeaten and set up a semi-final with Jessica Pegula.
Indian Wells, California: Elina Svitolina beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the final Group 2 match on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Finals, ending Sabalenka’s tournament. Earlier, Mirra Andreeva had completed a perfect group with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Diana Shnaider.
Svitolina wins the roller coaster
Svitolina took the first set after breaking Sabalenka’s serve, and Sabalenka levelled by taking the second. In the decider Svitolina broke to lead 3-1 and pulled away, closing the win on her fourth match point. She hit 21 winners against 24 errors and converted six of eight break points. Sabalenka made 35 errors. It was Svitolina’s first win over Sabalenka in six years and only her second in eight meetings; she described the match as “a little bit of a roller coaster”.
Sabalenka had already lost to Andreeva 6-4, 6-0 earlier in the group, which left her needing a win here to stay alive.
Andreeva finishes 3-0
Andreeva beat Shnaider in 55 minutes. Shnaider led 2-0 in the first set, but Andreeva then won 12 of the last 13 games. She won 71 per cent of her first-serve points, converted six of seven break points and dropped only 11 games across her three group matches. Shnaider made 32 errors. She had come into the field as the second alternate after Karolina Muchova withdrew with a gastrointestinal illness, having lost her first two matches.
Semi-final line-up
Svitolina will face Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova on Saturday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Andreeva plays Jessica Pegula in the other semi-final. Noskova and Pegula came through Group 1, where Pegula saved a match point to beat Noskova and knock out Coco Gauff.
Results: Elina Svitolina bt Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Mirra Andreeva bt Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1. Semi-finals: Svitolina v Noskova; Andreeva v Pegula.
