Indian Wells, March 12 No. 23 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine withstood rain and battled into the Indian Wells Open quarterfinals with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 upset of No. 4 seed American Jessica Pegula.
The former Indian Wells semifinalist shook off her early misfortunes and flipped the match on its ear as she claimed 12 of the final 15 games to earn a trip to her 21st WTA 1000 quarterfinal, and first since 2021.
On a misty day in the California desert, Svitolina and Pegula had to brave a lengthy rain delay after the first game of the third set. It was Svitolina who came back from the interlude with fire in her eyes. She put Pegula on the back foot and raced away with the win.
Pegula entered Indian Wells having just won the Austin title earlier this month, but Svitolina came out on top, earning just her third win over Pegula in their eight career meetings.
Svitolina, who is into the quarterfinals at Tennis Paradise for the first time since 2019, will face either Mirra Andreeva, who ousted Elena Rybakina for the second time in three weeks to advance to the quarterfinals with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win.
The 17-year-old Russian Andreeva's run in the desert comes fresh off the heels of her capturing a maiden WTA 1000 title at the Dubai Championships, which propelled her to become the youngest player to reach the Top 10 since 2007.
Earlier, Iga Swiatek thumped 15th-seeded Karolina Muchova with 6-1, 6-1 victory tp march into the quarterfinals.
The Pole has dropped just six games through three rounds, which ties Monica Seles’ record for the fewest games dropped en route to the Indian Wells quarterfinals, with a minimum of three matches played.
In the process, Swiatek ramps up her bid to become the first woman to ever win three Indian Wells Open titles, and the first woman to successfully defend the title here since Martina Navratilova in 1991.
Since the event’s inauguration in 1989, Monica Seles has conceded the fewest games en route to the women’s singles title at Indian Wells, dropping just 12 games in 1992 (in five matches). If any player has a chance to match that incredible feat, it would be Swiatek.
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