Iga Swiatek Dominates Marta Kostyuk to Secure Spot in Indian Wells Final

Iga Swiatek Dominates Marta Kostyuk to Secure Spot in Indian Wells Final

In a commanding display of skill and determination, Iga Swiatek, the top-ranked player, stormed past Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk with a resounding 6-2, 6-1 victory, securing her place in the final of the Indian Wells tournament.

Awaiting Swiatek in Sunday’s final is the winner of the semifinal clash between third-seeded Coco Gauff and No. 9 seed Maria Sakkari. With an impressive record against both contenders, Swiatek has emerged victorious in nine out of ten encounters with Gauff and has claimed victory in three out of five matches against Sakkari.

Swiatek’s dominance at Indian Wells is nothing new, having previously clinched the title in 2022 amidst a remarkable 37-match winning streak. Her path to the semifinals saw her opponent, Caroline Wozniacki, retire during their quarterfinal match when trailing 6-4, 1-0. Throughout the tournament, Swiatek has showcased her prowess, dropping just 17 games en route to the semifinals.

Despite Kostyuk’s valiant effort, tallying 17 winners compared to Swiatek’s 14, the Polish sensation outshone her opponent in nearly every aspect of the game. Remarkably, Swiatek did not face a single break point and maintained a stellar performance, particularly in her serve. Connecting on 74% of her first serves, she won an impressive 83% of her first-serve points and 50% of her second-serve points, all under the challenging conditions of a cool and windy evening in the Southern California desert.

Reflecting on her impeccable performance, Swiatek expressed her satisfaction, stating, “It was the cleanest match I played here. I didn’t really have any moment today in the match where I didn’t feel confident.”

In the men’s doubles final, Nikola Mektic of Croatia and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands emerged victorious, defeating the fifth-seeded duo of Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina with scores of 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4). The winning pair claimed their share of the prize money, totaling $447,300.

With her sights set on the final, Iga Swiatek continues to assert her dominance on the tennis court, showcasing her remarkable talent and unwavering determination in pursuit of victory.