Unstoppable Iga SWIATEK aims for the crown in Indian Wells after sweeping past Marta KOSTYUK

WTA
Saturday, 16 March 2024 at 01:23
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Iga Swiatek defeated Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-1 and returns to the final in Indian Wells after two years since she claimed the title. The world No. 1 is in her 10th WTA 1000 Final, with 7 titles and two runner-ups so far.
Kostyuk came into the match in good form after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open a few weeks ago and now making her first WTA 1000 semifinals.
In the first set, the world No. 1 appeared superior from the beginning of the match, taking advantage of Kostyuk's low 36% first-serve percentage to dominate the points from the return and long rallies. With the score at 1-1, Swiatek won a streak of four consecutive games, setting the tone for the match.
Although Kostyuk managed to hold her serve in one game, she couldn't do much from the return to prevent Swiatek from taking the first set. The Polish player won 80% of the service points and 50% of return points, also not giving any break opportunities against her and capitalizing on her only two break points.
The second set followed the same pattern as the first, with Swiatek controlling the points from the baseline. She quickly secured a break and took a 2-0 lead. Then the Ukrainian experienced problems with her left foot and struggled to finish the third game.
The match was paused with a medical timeout for Kostyuk, who apparently had issues with a blister on her left foot, but she eventually returned to the court to continue the match with the score at 0-3 after conceding her serve.
Upon returning to the court, Kostyuk couldn't change the dynamics of the match, continuing with several unforced errors while her opponent was playing at her best level. A final break secured Swiatek's victory by 6-2, 6-1, and she returns to the final in Tennis Paradise.
With her place in the final secured, she awaits the winner of the match between Coco Gauff (No. 3) and Maria Sakkari (No. 9). Precisely, the Greek was Swiatek's opponent in the 2022 final, where the Polish player claimed the title 6-4, 6-1.

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