Elina Svitolina defeated Linda Noskova to set up a WTA Finals showpiece against Mirra Andreeva after both players secured impressive semifinal victories.
Svitolina Reaches Final After Slow Start
Ukraine’s Svitolina delivered a composed and aggressive performance to claim a 6-2 6-1 victory over Wimbledon champion Noskova in just 64 minutes. The triumph caps a remarkable turnaround for the world number six in Indian Wells, who suffered a heavy defeat in her opening group match against Andreeva.
Svitolina displayed strong fighting spirit to win her next three matches, which included snapping a six-match losing streak against Aryna Sabalenka. The 32-year-old now holds 11 victories over top-10 opponents this year, marking the most of any player on the WTA Tour.
Reflecting on her journey to the championship match, Svitolina admitted she was ready to head home following her initial loss. She noted that she will review tactics with her coaches to win more games against Andreeva this time around.
The Ukrainian star has returned to the world’s top 10 for the first time since October 2021. After taking maternity leave in May 2022 to welcome her daughter Skai, she has intentionally adopted a more aggressive style of play. Against Noskova, she immediately neutralised the Czech player’s powerful serve.
Noskova struggled to find her rhythm, finishing the match with 11 double faults and 27 unforced errors compared to Svitolina’s 18. This marks the third time Svitolina has reached the final of the season-ending tournament, having previously lifted the trophy in 2018.
Andreeva Makes History at WTA Finals
Earlier in the day, Andreeva became the youngest player in 22 years to reach the WTA Finals showpiece following a composed victory over Jessica Pegula. The French Open champion overcame a break deficit in both sets to secure a 6-3 6-4 win.
As reported by BBC Sport, the 19-year-old Russian is the youngest finalist at the season-ending event since Maria Sharapova claimed the title at age 17 in 2004. Furthermore, her victory over the American guarantees that Andreeva will finish the year ranked as the world number two.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Andreeva expressed surprise at her own calm demeanor during the match. She noted that she usually feels tight during crucial points or when closing out sets, but on this occasion, she simply played and enjoyed the moment without overthinking.
Making her tournament debut, Andreeva has not dropped a single set and has conceded no more than four games in any of her eight sets played. Losing only 18 games overall, she recorded the fewest games dropped by a WTA Finals finalist since the round-robin format was introduced in 2003.
Working alongside coach Conchita Martinez, Andreeva has transformed her serve into a potent weapon. She claimed 77 percent of points behind her first serve and struck 17 winners to overcome Pegula, maintaining her composure despite falling behind early against the home favorite.
