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Iga Swiatek allows only three games to her opponent Marta Kostyuk as the world number one heads into Sunday’s final.Maria Sakkari holds off Coco Gauff to set up match against Światek Sky Sports Tennis offers exclusive live coverage of over 80 tournaments a year
8:01, UK, Saturday 16 March 2024
World number one and tournament favorite Iga Swiatek reached the final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Saturday with a devastating performance against Marta Kostyuk.
Swiatek was in frightening form from the start as she dominated her 21-year-old opponent from Ukraine, winning 6-2, 6-1 and reaching her second WTA 1000 final of the year.
“I’m certainly happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I’ve played here. It’s already a great tournament,” said Swiatek, who has won 30 of his last 32 matches.
“There are no priorities,” she said of potential final competitors. “It would be foolish for me to say anything. They’re both really good and experienced, so regardless of who goes, they’ll fight today and in the final.
“It’s going to be difficult anyway.”
Marta Kostyuk appeared to be suffering from a foot injury but hit an incredible forehand winner against Iga Swiatek
Swiatek needed just 45 minutes to build a set and break lead against the 32nd-ranked hand in the world, reaching his first career semi-final at WTA 1000 level.
Kostyuk appeared to shake his leg on court and received a medical timeout, but despite continuing, it was the relentless Swiatek who sealed the win after 69 minutes.
The Polish player did not face a break point in the match, dropping just 10 points on his serve.
Swiatek will face Maria Sakkari in Sunday’s final after the Greek held off a fierce fightback from third-seeded Coco Gauff.
Top-seeded Swiatek put on a near-perfect performance in chilly, windy conditions to beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-1 and stay on course for her second title of the year. is.
“I’m definitely happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I’ve played here. My concentration was high throughout, there were no doubts,” said the player, who has never dropped a set in the California desert. Swiatek said. this year.
“It’s already been a great tournament.”
The 2022 champions got off to an aggressive start, taking a 2-1 lead, and two games later a double fault by Kostyuk pulled them further away.
The 21-year-old Kostyuk lost the first set in 31 minutes, but world No. 1 Swiatek put pressure on her again at the start of the second set.
A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-time Grand Slam champion withstood pressure from the 31st seed in his next match and built a 3-0 advantage.
Kostyuk appeared to be struggling with a left foot problem, but the medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, and Swiatek finished the match with a forehand winner for his WTA Tour-leading 19th win of the season.
Sakkari holds Gauff down.
Highlights of the Indian Wells semifinals between Coco Gauff and Maria Sakkari.
Maria Sakkari withstood a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to dominate the third seed 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday, clinching the 2022 title. It set up an interesting rematch of the showdown. Siviatech.
US Open champion Gauff was at her best early in the match as Sakkari defeated the third-seeded American in the ninth game, drawing first blood after a brief rain delay and then easily winning the first set. It seemed far from it.
Rain showers returned at the start of the second set, forcing the players off the court for long periods, but Sakkari picked up where he left off once the match resumed, and was competitive with a double break.
But Gauff wasn’t finished, and the 20-year-old found her rhythm in a frenetic second set, saving three match points to level the score at 5-5 and eventually force a tiebreak. and decided the match in their favor.
The ninth-seeded Sakkari traded breaks with Gauff early in the third set before regrouping and showing quality at the decisive point to win the late-night thriller.
“I don’t mean to disrespect Coco, but this match would have been great if it had been over an hour earlier,” Sakkari said after the epic battle, which lasted two hours and 41 minutes.
“I’m going to get this win, even if it’s three sets. I was thinking of finishing in the second set, but after that things got difficult. But it was a great win.
“Coco is a really great opponent. She’s unbelievable. She fights for every point. I’m very happy to be here in the final again.”
Henman: Swiatek played with tolerance for mistakes
“Swiatek was just in a class of its own,” said Tim Henman. sky sports tennis. “She took complete control of the case and denied Kostyuk the opportunity to settle.
“Her hitting the ball from the back of the court was phenomenal and it looked like she was playing down the line. She hit the ball so hard and fast, but still had room for error. It was a great performance. .”
Navratilova “Iga firing on all cylinders”
“She’s a great front-runner,” Martina Navratilova said. “The players need to be close to her at the beginning of the match because once she starts moving, it’s really hard to stop her momentum and then she develops her confidence. ”
“I think she added a little bit of topspin to her backhand because I think it’s safer that way, so I just feel like she’s just firing on all cylinders right now. If you come forward, please be careful!”
“If she gets promoted, good luck!”
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