Elina Svitolina secured the final semifinal position at the WTA Finals on Friday after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in a decisive match at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The Ukrainian player triumphed with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory, effectively ending Sabalenka’s tournament run, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Svitolina, the No. 6 seed, will now face Linda Noskova in the next stage of the competition.
The remaining semifinalists include Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula, according to the Palm Springs Desert Sun.
The match was played under strict procedural guidelines due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The two competitors did not shake hands before or after the match, and they participated in separate pre-match photos with the chair umpire.
Furthermore, official WTA materials and television graphics omitted the Belarusian flag and country name for Sabalenka, a practice that has been in place for four years, per the Desert Sun.
Svitolina overcame a difficult start to the third set after Sabalenka broke her serve early.
The veteran player quickly responded by breaking back and eventually securing a 3-1 lead, which ultimately shifted the momentum of the match.
Svitolina, who previously won the tournament in 2018, has enjoyed a successful season, winning titles in Auckland and Rome while returning to the top 10 rankings.
The victory comes during a challenging period for the Ukrainian athlete, who has navigated a public divorce alongside the conflict in her home country, as noted in an earlier Desert Sun profile.
Following the final point, Svitolina celebrated the win on the Stadium 2 court with a visible display of relief and joy.
The tournament field saw the elimination of Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Karolina Muchova, and Marta Kostyuk, the latter of whom replaced top seed Elena Rybakina following her withdrawal due to illness.
Saturday’s schedule features Svitolina competing against Noskova, while Pegula is set to face Andreeva in the other semifinal matchup.