Defending champion Swiatek dominates; Rybakina powers by at Indian Wells
Defending champion Iga Swiatek cruised previous Dayana Yastremska 6-0, 6-2, whereas 2023 winner Elena Rybakina powered previous Britain’s Katie Boulter 6-0, 7-5, each advancing to the fourth spherical of Indian Wells on Sunday with commanding performances.
Seeded second, Swiatek is aiming for her third event title, a feat no girl has achieved earlier than. The Polish star wasted no time, profitable 10 straight video games and dispatching her Ukrainian opponent in simply 65 minutes.
“At the end, I got a bit tired, it’s always tough to finish a match like that, but I’m happy I maintained my intensity to close it out,” Swiatek stated. “I had control from the start, so I’m really pleased with my performance.”
The victory marked Swiatek’s second bagel set of the event after she dominated Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-0 in her opener.
Despite her sturdy exhibiting, the five-time main champion has not received a title since her 2024 French Open victory, marking her longest drought since claiming her first main in 2020.
Swiatek served a one-month suspension in October for a failed drug check and has seen Aryna Sabalenka take her world No. 1 rating. But the California desert appears to be a really perfect setting for her to return to profitable methods.
“It’s amazing, I love coming here,” she stated. “I already have my routine, so it feels like home. It’s for sure the place to be and a great place to play tennis.”
Swiatek will face fifteenth seed Karolina Muchova within the spherical of 16 after the Czech participant defeated Katerina Siniakova earlier within the day.
Rybakina rallies, Svitolina upsets Collins
After cruising by the primary set, Rybakina fell behind 5-3 within the second earlier than regrouping. The Kazakh participant delivered a sensational defensive shot in a sport the place she broke again to degree at 5-5, then broke once more on match level to seal the win.
Rybakina, who missed final yr’s event attributable to sickness, will meet ninth-seeded teenager Mirra Andreeva in a rematch of their Dubai semifinal, which the Russian received in three units en path to turning into the youngest participant to win a WTA 1000 title.
Andreeva, coached by former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, stated the 17-year-old retains her centered.
“She already told me that she booked a court at 12 p.m.,” Andreeva stated after her night time match. “I see not much time passed from the match … she’s just like this, but it’s not bad.”
Ukrainian Elina Svitolina upset 14th seed Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-4, and can face one other American, fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula, who breezed previous China’s Wang Xinyu 6-2, 6-1.
Svitolina’s countrywoman Marta Kostyuk defeated American wild card Caroline Dolehide 6-3, 6-3.
Medvedev, Tsitsipas advance
On the lads’s facet, Stefanos Tsitsipas confirmed off his spectacular athleticism and protection, leaping for overheads and dashing across the courtroom to defeat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-3.
“I’m approaching these matches with determination and willingness to just leave it all out there on the court,” Tsitsipas stated. “I want to get out there and be a gladiator, and that’s how I approach every single match I get to play.”
The Greek eighth seed will face battle-tested Holger Rune, who dug deep to outlast Frenchman Ugo Humbert 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 with the backing of the group on middle courtroom.
“I tried to be brave,” Rune stated of his play over the ultimate two video games of the match. “The energy on this court was truly amazing.”
Daniil Medvedev was on courtroom for simply 10 minutes earlier than his American opponent Alex Michelsen was compelled to retire attributable to sickness after two video games.
The Russian fifth seed has misplaced to Carlos Alcaraz within the Indian Wells ultimate the previous two years, and the Spaniard is as soon as once more on the alternative facet of the draw.
Medvedev will subsequent face fashionable American Tommy Paul, who notched his fiftieth win at a Masters 1000 event with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
Unheralded Japanese participant Yosuke Watanuki was all smiles after upsetting American Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 7-6(6) to notch the largest win of his profession.
“I tried to enjoy today,” stated Watanuki, who’s ranked world No. 349. “Even though I missed a terrible backhand, it is Indian Wells, center court. So even though I missed, I was happy.”
Tallon Griekspoor shocked Twenty ninth-seeded Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Sunday after knocking out prime seed Alexander Zverev within the earlier spherical.
Griekspoor pounded 10 aces and broke Mpetshi Perricard’s mighty serve twice en path to the win.
Southern California native Marcos Giron got here from behind to beat Alexei Popyrin 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a match the place the struggling Australian transformed simply one in every of his 15 break level probabilities.
It was the 31-year-old Giron’s first time reaching the fourth spherical of the event.
Source: www.dailysabah.com