Swiatek And Sabalenka Dominate At Indian Wells, Set Up Thrilling Semi-finals

Defending champion Iga Swiatek powered past Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday, avenging her Olympic semi-final loss and booking her place in the Indian Wells semi-finals. The world number two from Poland is now just two wins away from making history as the first woman to claim three titles in the California desert.

Swiatek, who won her first Indian Wells trophy in 2022, could also join Martina Navratilova as the only woman to win back-to-back titles at the event. Despite facing her toughest test of the tournament so far, she remained composed, sealing victory with a break at love after a brief rain delay.

“It was a weird match with all the breaks and everything, but I wanted to stay composed and focused, and I’m glad I did that,” Swiatek said after the match.

Swiatek’s aggressive start saw her race to a 3-0 lead, but Zheng fought back, breaking serve to stay in contention. However, the Polish star remained relentless, converting all five of her break points and closing out the match despite windy conditions. Next, she will face Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian sensation, who defeated Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-3 to reach the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka delivered a statement performance, easing past Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-3. The world number one is now set for an exciting showdown with Madison Keys, who dismantled former world number four Belinda Bencic 6-1, 6-1 in just 64 minutes.

Sabalenka, determined to bounce back from her Australian Open final loss to Keys, admitted she was using the rematch as extra motivation. “She played great in Australia, and I didn’t play my best. Tomorrow, I have the opportunity to get that revenge,” she said.

Keys, now on a 16-match winning streak, is chasing history of her own, hoping to become the first American woman to win Indian Wells since Serena Williams in 2001.

With Swiatek, Andreeva, Sabalenka, and Keys all in top form, the stage is set for a thrilling semi-final showdown in the desert.