Indian Wells: Two-time champion Iga Swiatek crashed out of the Indian Wells ATP and WTA Masters 1000 on Thursday, beaten 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 by ninth-ranked Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.
Poland’s Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion ranked second in the world, coughed up eight double faults in a rocky performance. The experienced Svitolina made the most of the early chances she was given and held her nerve in a tense third set to reach the Indian Wells semi-finals for the second time, and the first since 2019.
She closed it out in style, breaking Swiatek for a 5-4 lead then giving herself a match point with an ace and nailing a forehand volley. Svitolina, winner of the title in Auckland to start her year and runner-up to Jessica Pegula in the WTA 1000 in Dubai last month, will face either Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina or Pegula for a place in the final. For Swiatek it was another disappointing quarter-final exit this year. She fell at the same stage at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open this year.
