Svitolina downs Swiatek, squares up against Rybakina in Indian Wells semifinals

Elina Svitolina entered Thursday’s quarterfinal match with little success in her previous meetings against Iga Swiatek, but she flipped the script in a big way, earning a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win in 2 hours and 9 minutes to reach her second Indian Wells semifinal and first since 2019.

With the victory, Svitolina earned just her second win over the current World No. 2 in six meetings at the WTA Tour, having last defeated her at Wimbledon in 2023. Since 2016, when she upset Serena Williams at the Rio Olympics, only Elena Rybakina (14) has earned more wins over Top 2 players than Svitolina (11). The result also marks her tour-leading 19th win of 2026.

Rybakina and Svitolina advance to quarters as their respective rivals retire hurt

“There is no champion who is waiting for mistakes,” Svitolina said of her mindset in her post-match press conference. “And you really have to try to set yourself up in a good position to attack. I was feeling good and I was trying to really, you know, open up the court and try to take advantage, because Iga is such an aggressive player, and she moves really well. So, if you don’t take the opportunity at the right time, she’s going to take it.”

Svitolina sealed the victory with a late surge, breaking Swiatek in the penultimate game of the third set before holding at love to close out the match. But it was her blistering start on a day when temperatures reached upwards of 90 degrees Fahrenheit that grabbed the attention of both the crowd and, likely, Swiatek.

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In the semifinals, she’ll face Rybakina, who ended Jessica Pegula’s run of seven straight semifinals with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory on Thursday night. Svitolina is 3-3 against Rybakina and won their most recent meeting, in Madrid last season, in straight sets. This will be just their second hard-court meeting with the first coming five years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, a match also won by Svitolina.

Noskova to face Sabalenka in semis

Linda Noskova reached the semifinals for the first time in her career, defeating Australian qualifier Talia Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in their quarterfinal showdown.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeated Victoria Mboko in straight sets to reach her third Indian Wells semifinal. She will face Linda Noskova 

The victory sends the World No. 14 into the second WTA 1000 semifinal of her career, following her first at the China Open five months ago. After reaching the finals in Tokyo and Beijing during the 2025 Asian swing, the Czech had not advanced past the Round of 16 in any event in 2026 on the WTA Tour until this week.

Still, the run at Indian Wells for Gibson is memorable. She came into the year with a goal to crack the top 100. Sitting at No. 112 entering the tournament, she’s projected to be in the top 70, shattering her objective. But Thursday belonged to Noskova, who reached her 11th overall WTA semifinal.

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Noskova will next face World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Victoria Mboko in straight sets to reach her third Indian Wells semifinal. Sabalenka won their lone meeting 6-3, 7-6 (4) at the 2023 Adelaide International final.

No. 1 seed Sabalenka came through a marquee encounter with No. 10 seed Victoria Mboko in the quarterfinals, advancing 7-6(0), 6-4 to her third career semifinal at the tournament. Sabalenka saved all five break points she faced in the match.

Sabalenka, a two-time Indian Wells runner-up in 2023 and 2025, defeated Mboko for the second time in as many meetings, having also won 6-1, 7-6(1) in the Australian Open fourth round in January. The World No. 1 has now reached six consecutive semifinals on the WTA Tour; her last loss before that round was in the Cincinnati quarterfinals last August to Elena Rybakina.