Svitolina beats Belarusian tennis player Sabalenka to reach WTA Finals semifinals
According to the outlet, Svitolina won the first set 6–3, recovering from an early 0–2 deficit. She then took control of the match, allowing her opponent to win just one point across the next seven games.
Both players adopted a cautious approach, hitting just five winners each in the opening set. Svitolina made eight unforced errors, compared with Sabalenka's 13.
In the second set, the Ukrainian faced a tougher challenge, falling behind 1–5. She managed to win two more games but could not turn the set around. Sabalenka levelled the match by winning the set 6–3.
The deciding set began with another service break against Svitolina. However, the Ukrainian then won five consecutive games, moving closer to victory. In the final game, she needed four match-point opportunities to close out the match 6–1.
The match lasted one hour and 55 minutes. Svitolina hit six aces despite making nine double faults, while Sabalenka recorded just one ace.
Aryna Sabalenka (2) — Elina Svitolina (Ukraine, 6): 1–2 (3–6, 6–3, 1–6).
The victory over Sabalenka allowed the Ukrainian to end a five-match losing streak against the Belarusian. Svitolina had last beaten her in 2020 at a tournament in Strasbourg.
It was also Svitolina's 10th win over a top-10 player in the world rankings in 2026. With this result, she matched the season record previously held by Elena Rybakina.
This will be Svitolina's third semi-final appearance at the WTA Finals. She won the tournament in 2018 and reached the final the following year.
In the semi-finals, Svitolina will face Czech player Linda Nosková, who won Group 1. The match is scheduled for Saturday, 14 November.
In October, Elina Svitolina reached the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing after a comeback victory over Czech player Kateřina Siniaková. Svitolina lost the opening set but turned the match around to secure the win.
As Rubryka previously reported, Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina returned to the WTA top 10 following an updated ranking. Her run to the Australian Open semi-finals earned her 349 ranking points, allowing her to break back into the world's top 10.
Meanwhile, 13-year-old Ukrainian tennis player Mariia Kocherzhenko won the European Masters tournament for players under 14. In the final in Monte Carlo, Italy, she defeated Italian player Olivia Serena Conticello, becoming the first Ukrainian to win the title.
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14 of November 2026
