Svitolina eliminates Sabalenka to reach WTA Finals semi-finals

Elina Svitolina secured a WTA Finals semi-final place with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Aryna Sabalenka, ending the former world number one's season. According to BBC Sport, Svitolina won the final six games to finish second in her group behind Mirra Andreeva, while Sabalenka missed the knockout stage for the first time since 2021.

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Svitolina will face Czech world number eight Linda Noskova in the last four. The Ukrainian won the tournament in 2018 and reached the final the following year, but had not appeared at the event since that 2019 run. Her return comes in a season in which she regained a place in the world's top 10 for the first time since 2021.

Sabalenka broke serve at the start of the match, only for Svitolina to take control of the opening set. BBC Sport reported that Sabalenka lost six of seven games during that stretch and twice dropped serve without winning a point. She recovered in the second set, cutting her unforced errors and establishing a 5-1 lead before serving it out at her second opportunity.

That recovery did not carry through the deciding set. Sabalenka moved ahead early but then failed to win another game as Svitolina completed the victory. During the closing stages, Sabalenka saved two break points before a double fault gave Svitolina another chance. The Ukrainian converted and subsequently served out the match.

The defeat followed another difficult finish for Sabalenka against Andreeva two days earlier, when she lost the last 11 games. Sabalenka ends 2026 without a major title for the first time since 2022, despite reaching the Australian Open and US Open finals. She did win three other titles this season, including both Indian Wells and Miami.

Andreeva completed an unbeaten group campaign by defeating fellow Russian Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1. Shnaider entered the match as a late replacement for Karolina Muchova, who withdrew because of illness. Andreeva won 12 of the final 13 games and finished the contest in 55 minutes, having already guaranteed first place in the group.

The 19-year-old French Open champion will meet Jessica Pegula in the other semi-final. Across her three group victories, all in straight sets, Andreeva conceded only 11 games. BBC Sport reported that she is the youngest player to reach the tournament's knockout stage in 17 years, with the two semi-finals determining the lineup for Sunday's final.