Elina Svitolina defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Friday securing her spot in the WTA Finals semifinals on her fourth match point, ESPN reported.
Svitolina Secures Semifinal Berth
Elina Svitolina overcame Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set battle to reach the knockout stages on Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, as reported by [ESPN]. Svitolina capitalized on her opponent’s errors, winning six of eight break points to close out the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
The victory marks Svitolina’s first win against Sabalenka in six years, according to The New York Times.
Svitolina had not beaten Sabalenka since their meeting at Strasbourg in 2020, as noted by [WTA Tennis].
The 2018 tournament champion is making her first appearance at the year-end event since 2019, according to [WTA Tennis]. Svitolina advanced to the semifinals after dropping her opening match of the group stage.
“She gave me a few chances here and there so I could find my shots,” Svitolina said, according to [ESPN].
Sabalenka Fails to Maintain Lead
Aryna Sabalenka entered the match seeking her first title at the season-ending tournament after finishing as the runner-up last year, according to [BBC Sport]. Sabalenka accumulated 35 errors during the match, according to [ESPN]. After giving up her lead in the deciding set, she threw her racquet to the ground as Svitolina capitalized on the momentum.
Following the defeat, Sabalenka did not speak to the media, according to [ESPN]. The loss drops her to a 2-4 record since losing the U.S. Open final to Elena Rybakina, and condemns her to finishing No. 3 in the world in the process, The New York Times reported.
Upcoming Semifinal Matchups
Elina Svitolina will face Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková in the semifinals on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Indian Wells, according to [ESPN]. Svitolina enters the match carrying momentum from her round-robin recovery.
“I want my daughter to see me win tournaments,” Svitolina said, according to [ESPN].
In the other semifinal match, 19-year-old French Open champion Mirra Andreeva will face Jessica Pegula, according to [WTA Tennis] and The New York Times. Andreeva swept Group 2 with a 3-0 record after defeating Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 on Friday, November 13, 2026, dropping just 11 games total across her group matches, [ESPN] reported.
More on Elina Svitolina
REMARKABLE 😮 Elina Svitolina is a semifinalist at the 2026 FAGE WTA Finals!#FAGEWTAFinals | #TheUltimateStage pic.twitter.com/FeA4pE4SnW
Wow. Elina Svitolina defeats Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the WTA Finals semifinals! Sabalenka’s poor second half of the year ends with another disappointment. Tomorrow: Andreeva vs. Pegula Noskova vs. Svitolina
Worth a look