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Tennis: Świątek cruises into Indian Wells final

16.03.2024 11:45
Poland’s top racquet Iga Świątek has reached the final at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters after a near-flawless performance.
Iga Świątek in action against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine during the semifinals match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, USA, 15 March 2024.
Iga Świątek in action against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine during the semifinals match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, USA, 15 March 2024. Photo: EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO PAP/EPA.

For a place in the final of the women’s singles at the tournament in the California desert she overpowered Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 6-1 on Friday.

"I'm happy with the performance," said Świątek, who didn't face a break point.

"I think it was the cleanest match I played here”, she added.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Świątek, who won the 2022 Indian Wells title, needed just 69 minutes to get past the 32nd-ranked Ukrainian to face Maria Sakkari of Greece in the final game.

Their showdown will be a rematch of the 2022 title clash when the Pole lifted the Indian Wells trophy for the first time.

Sakkari found the going tougher, having to overcome a Coco Gauff fightback to book a place in the decider with a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 victory in a lengthy, rain-interrupted battle.

Świątek last month won the Qatar Open tournament in Doha for the third consecutive time, claiming her 18th career singles title.

The 22-year-old Pole in November regained her spot at the top of the world rankings in women's tennis after winning the season-ending WTA Finals tournament in Mexico.

She now leads the WTA rankings with 10,105 points, ahead of Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, with 8,725 points, and American Coco Gauff, with 6,975.

(mo)

Source: PAP, AFP