Saturday 16 March 2024

Swiatek wins Indian Wells 1st semi

Semi final day in Indian Wells.

2024 BNP Paribas Opena WTA 1000 tournament, on Hard Outdoor, Indian Wells, California, USA, 6-17 March 2024

Defending champion:
Elena Rybakina (10) who defeated Aryna Sabalenka (2) 7-6(11) 6-4

Semi final 1:

Iga Swiatek (1) v Marta Kostyuk (31)

Swiatek won the only previous match between the players:
Round of sixteen Roland Garros 2021.

Kostyuk won the toss, served first and held, sealing the game with a backhand winner.
Her next game was a disaster, Kostyuk broken to love, two double faults included, and a Swiatek forehand winner confirming a 2-1 lead.for the world number one.

Swiatek comfortably consolidated and led 3-1.
Kostyuk hit a pair of forehand winners on the way to 40-15 in the next game, but three straight errors and a double fault donated the game to Swiatek.
The service break gave Swiatek a 4-1 advantage.

Serving at 1-5 to stay in the set, Kostyuk was more consistent with her shot making, another backhand winner helping her to hold for 2-5.
Despite a down the line backhand return winner from Kostyuk to level at 30-30, Swiatek served out the set 6-2.

At 30-30 in game one of set two, Kostyuk served a double fault.
She saved the break point, but an unforced error gave Swiatek a second chance.
The top seed produced a forehand winnner and broke for 1-0.

Kostyuk forced Swiatek to deuce in game two, but wasn’t able to gain a break opportunity.
2-0 Swiatek.
Kostyuk hit two forehand winners in game three, one at 30-30, the other at deuce.
Neither was converted, and eventually Swiatek broke for 3-0.

After Kostyuk took a medical time out, Swiatek was quick to fire two forehand winners en route to converting the break.
4-0.
Kostyuk held serve to finally register on the board 1-4.

Serving at 1-5 to stay in the match, Kostyuk faced match point.
Swiatek delivered a forehand down the line winner and finished proceedings 6-2 6-1.

Iga Swiatek will appear in her second Indian Wells final, and her tenth WTA 1000 final overall.

No comments:

Post a Comment