Defending champion Iga Swiatek off to fast start at Indian Wells

12.03.2023 - 03:21 arabnews.com

INDIAN WELLS: World number one Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a rare Indian Wells repeat with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 victory over 56th-ranked American Claire Liu on Saturday.

Neither Liu nor the breezy conditions on Stadium Court troubled Swiatek, who is seeking to become just the second woman — after Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 — to sucessfully defend her title at the prestigious combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament.

Swiatek roared through the first set, winning 25 of 32 points. She didn’t have things quite so much her own way in the second, although she never faced a break point.

Liu did manage to save a match point as she finally held serve in the penultimate game. The crowd roard when Liu — facing a top-ranked player for the first time — slipped a forehand passing shot under Swiatek’s guard on game point.

WTA Emma Raducanu Andy Murray Iga Swiatek Carlos Alcaraz Novak Djokovic Martina Navratilova Brandon Nakashima Claire Liu France Usa Australia Doha Buenos Aires India Dubai Warsaw

Iga Swiatek's absence from the Miami Open due to a rib injury «might be a good thing for her tennis», believes Mats Wilander. Swiatek lost comprehensively in the semi-finals of last week's Indian Wells to Elena Rybakina, and talked after that match of the problems she had experienced in coping with the muscle strain. Ad It looked doubtful she would compete in Miami, and that proved the case as she announced her withdrawal on Wednesday.

Defending champion Swiatek pulls out of Miami Open

Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Miami Open due to a rib injury, the world number one and defending champion said on Wednesday.

Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina could be women's tennis 'big three' ahead of Miami Open

As the era of the men’s 'big three' winds down — or metamorphoses into something slightly different — could there be a 'big three' starting to form in women’s tennis? In 2022, there was clearly one player who was head and shoulders above the rest: Iga Swiatek. Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina look to be catching up. Ad Wimbledon champion Rybakina has highlighted her qualities by crushing world No.

Rybakina beats Sabalenka to win Indian Wells WTA title

INDIAN WELLS, California: Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina edged Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (13/11), 6-4 on Sunday to win the Indian Wells WTA title and avenge her loss to the Belarusian in the Australian Open final. Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, the world number 10 who ousted top-ranked defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, followed up with her first victory over second-ranked Sabalenka in five career meetings. While Sabalenka had the edge from the baseline in a hard-fought battle, Rybakina’s fierce pressure saw the serve demons that beset Sabalenka last year resurface.

Medvedev beats Tiafoe to set up final match with Alcaraz at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, California: Dialed-in Daniil Medvedev suppressed a late surge from Frances Tiafoe to beat the American 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) on Saturday and reach the Indian Wells final for the first time. Sixth-ranked Medvedev, coming off ATP titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai in the space of three weeks, pushed his win streak to 19 matches and awaits the winner of the other semifinal between top-seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and 13th-ranked Italian Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz, 19, and 21-year-old Sinner are 2-2 in four prior meetings, but it was Alcaraz who came out on top in their most dramatic clash — a five-set US Open quarter-final that lasted five hours and 15 minutes, its 2:50 a.m.