Elina Svitolina produced a ruthless display of composed, aggressive tennis to dismantle Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2 6-1 in just 64 minutes on Saturday, booking her place in the WTA Finals showpiece against Mirra Andreeva in Indian Wells.
The Ukrainian world number six dropped only three games against Noskova, capping a remarkable turnaround after she suffered a heavy defeat to Andreeva in her opening group match. Since that loss, Svitolina has won three consecutive matches, including snapping a six-match losing streak to Aryna Sabalenka on Friday.
“After losing the first match I was ready to go home, and now I’m in the final,” the 32-year-old said. “I will do my homework with my coaches — I will try to win a bit more games than I did in the first match.”
Svitolina’s victory over Noskova underlines a stellar season in which she has recorded 11 wins over top-10 opponents — the most of any player on the WTA Tour this year. The result also returns her to the world’s top 10 for the first time since October 2021.
Andreeva, who defeated Svitolina comfortably in their group-stage meeting, stands between the Ukrainian and the biggest title of her late-career resurgence. Sunday’s final in Indian Wells promises a compelling contrast between the teenage prodigy and the veteran’s newfound momentum.
