In the desert stillness of Indian Wells, a thirty-two-year-old who once stepped away from the game to become a mother has returned to the summit of women's tennis, dismantling Linda Noskova in little more than an hour. Elina Svitolina, who had already been beaten badly by the teenager she now faces, reached the WTA Finals final by refusing to let one bad week define her, a quiet reminder that comebacks are often built on the decision not to go home. Across from her waits Mirra Andreeva, nineteen and unbeaten in sets, whose composure seems to belong to someone older than her years. Their meetin
Svitolina routs Noskova 6-2 6-1 to set up WTA Finals final against Andreeva
"After losing the first match I was ready to go home, and now I'm in the final."
Mark
Svitolina lost to Andreeva in her first match and now she's in the final against her. Why is that the headline?
Mimi
Because she said she was ready to go home after that loss. Then she won three straight, including a win over Sabalenka that ended a six-match losing streak against her.
Mark
And the Noskova match was lopsided.
Mimi
6-2 6-1 in 64 minutes. Noskova had 11 double faults and 27 unforced errors to Svitolina's 18.
Luke
Worth noting that's one bad day for Noskova, not a verdict on her. The numbers show she was off, but they don't say why.
Mark
Fair. What about Svitolina's season overall?
Mimi
Eleven wins over top-10 players this year, the most on tour, and she's back in the top 10 for the first time since October 2021. She returned from maternity leave in 2022 and has tried to play more aggressively.
Luke
The report links the aggressive style to her return, but it doesn't prove the style caused the results. That's the framing, not a measured finding.
Mark
And Andreeva?
Mimi
Nineteen, no sets dropped, 18 games lost in total, the fewest for a finalist since 2003. She beat Pegula 6-3 6-4 after being a break down in both sets.
Luke
Her explanation for feeling no pressure is her own. She said she didn't know why. We shouldn't fill that gap for her.
Mark
So what decides the final?
Mimi
Svitolina has already lost to her once this week, but she's promised to study that match with her coaches. That's the open question.
Il Polso
- Svitolina dismantled Noskova 6-2 6-1 in 64 minutes, conceding just three games in a semi-final that felt like a statement.
- A heavy group-stage defeat to Andreeva nearly sent Svitolina home, yet she rebounded with three straight wins, including a long-awaited victory over Sabalenka.
- Andreeva, 19, has dropped no sets and lost only 18 games, the fewest by any finalist since the round-robin format began in 2003.
- The final sets a veteran chasing a second title seven years after her first against a teenager who has already beaten her once this week.
In the desert stillness of Indian Wells, a thirty-two-year-old who once stepped away from the game to become a mother has returned to the summit of women's tennis, dismantling Linda Noskova in little more than an hour. Elina Svitolina, who had already been beaten badly by the teenager she now faces, reached the WTA Finals final by refusing to let one bad week define her, a quiet reminder that comebacks are often built on the decision not to go home. Across from her waits Mirra Andreeva, nineteen and unbeaten in sets, whose composure seems to belong to someone older than her years. Their meeting carries the weight of a sport measuring who it is becoming, and who it is leaving behind.
Elina Svitolina needed just 64 minutes to beat Linda Noskova 6-2 6-1 in the WTA Finals semi-final in Indian Wells, surrendering only three games. The Ukrainian, ranked sixth in the world, now faces Mirra Andreeva in the final, the same player who had beaten her heavily in their opening group match a week earlier.
That loss nearly ended her week. Svitolina admitted she had been ready to go home. Instead she won her next three matches, including a win over Aryna Sabalenka that broke a six-match losing streak against the Belarusian. Against Noskova, she was composed and aggressive, neutralising the Czech's big serve from the opening game. Noskova, by contrast, struggled badly with 11 double faults and 27 unforced errors.
At 32, Svitolina is back in the top 10 for the first time since 2021, after returning from maternity leave with a deliberate shift toward more aggressive tennis. This will be her third WTA Finals final; she won the title in 2018. Her plan for Andreeva is simple: work hard with her coaches and win more games than she did the first time.
Andreeva earlier beat Jessica Pegula 6-3 6-4, recovering from early breaks in both sets. At 19, she is the youngest finalist here since Maria Sharapova, and her win guarantees she finishes the year as world number two. She has not dropped a set in eight, and her serve, developed under coach Conchita Martinez, has become a real weapon. She told Sky Sports she felt no pressure at all, simply playing and enjoying herself.
The final will test a seasoned competitor's comeback against a teenager who has yet to lose a set all week.
Elina Svitolina needed 64 minutes to beat Linda Noskova 6-2 6-1 in the WTA Finals semi-final in Indian Wells, giving up only three games. The Ukrainian, ranked sixth in the world, will now play Mirra Andreeva in the final, the same opponent who beat her heavily in her opening group match a week earlier.
That first loss almost ended her week. Svitolina said afterwards that she had been ready to go home after it. Instead she won her next three matches, among them a victory over Aryna Sabalenka on Friday that ended a six-match losing streak against the Belarusian. Against Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, she was composed and aggressive, and she blunted the Czech's big serve from the first game.
Noskova was well off her level. She hit 11 double faults and made 27 unforced errors to Svitolina's 18. The result gives Svitolina 11 wins over top-10 opponents this year, the most of anyone on the WTA Tour.
The 32-year-old is back in the top 10 for the first time since October 2021. She took maternity leave in May 2022 to have her daughter, Skai, and since returning she has made a deliberate effort to play more aggressive tennis. This will be her third final at the season-ending event; she won the title in 2018. Looking ahead to Andreeva, she said she would do her homework with her coaches and try to win a few more games than she managed in the first meeting.
Andreeva reached the final earlier in the day by beating the American Jessica Pegula 6-3 6-4. She came back from an early break down in both sets against the home favourite. At 19, the Russian is the youngest finalist at this event since Maria Sharapova, who was 17 when she won the title in 2004, and the youngest in 22 years. The win also guarantees that Andreeva, the French Open champion, finishes the year as world number two.
She is making her debut at the tournament and has not dropped a set. She has not lost more than four games in any of her eight sets, and her 18 games lost are the fewest by a finalist since the round-robin format arrived in 2003. Against Pegula she won 77% of the points behind her first serve and hit 17 winners. Her serve, developed under coach Conchita Martinez, has become a real weapon.
Andreeva told Sky Sports she felt no pressure at all, and could not say why. She said she usually tightens up on important points or when closing out a set or match, but this time she was simply playing, not thinking about anything and trying to enjoy it.
The final sets Svitolina's comeback and her chance at a second title, seven years after the first, against a teenager who has not yet lost a set all week and has already beaten her once in Indian Wells.
Citazioni salienti
After losing the first match I was ready to go home, and now I'm in the final.— Elina Svitolina
I did not feel one bit of pressure today, I don't know why.— Mirra Andreeva, to Sky Sports
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