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What's the Story?
The world no. 6 from Ukraine, Elina Svitolina overcame a stiff challenge from the 19-year old Czech player, Markéta Vondroušová to reach the semifinals of the 2019 Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open.
After being down by a set the sixth seed showed a great character to hold off Markéta Vondroušová's challenge and winning the match 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in three sets on Stadium One at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Match Synopsis
Both the players were on course for a spot in the semifinals that neither one tasted before and the nerves were clearly telling as the first game ended in a break as the 19-year-old drew errors from Svitolina’s service game.
However, she broke back in the second making sure not to go down early in the set. She regrouped quickly in the third to gain the lead pressuring the returns of the surging Czech. The net-front presence and good volleys came for Vondrousova in the fourth; where after committing a double fault, Svitolina gave her the win on a return error.
She then found herself a break down and unsuccessful at going for a break when Vondrousova committed errors and a second double fault.
Making sure that she didn’t drop another service game, Svitolina went to deuce, scraped up her hand and found a way to contain the AD point that put her a game down. The defense was the order for the sixth seed but errors against Vondrousova only made it easier for the 19-year-old.
She scored a great finish lobbing the ball to Svitolina before scoring set point on a bad smash into the net by the 24-year-old.
The damage nearly continued as the Czech scored a great lob from the baseline that put the Ukrainian behind. The world number six rallied to deuce where she dug deep to control the service game and draw a long ball from Vondrousova to end the first.
The 19-year-old followed up with a hold in the second making sure that she stayed on point with the leverage in her hands. With some momentum building up for the sixth seed, she clinched a break to love in the fourth to lead in the set for the first time in the match.
She threatened to take control of the set in the fifth but Vondrousova rallied to deuce in order to stop her. They went three breaks before a winner from the Czech followed by an error from Svitolina that solidified the game.
The 19-year-old tried to do the same thing but with Svitolina on fire and pressuring the serve, she dropped the sixth. The Ukrainian got behind once again with the game going in favor of Vondrousova who scored the winner on great positioning to come back within one.
She leveled the set at four all making everything Svitolina did no longer relevant. The Ukrainian assured herself a hold to love to get back the lead before chatting with her coach. Bettles told her to stay positive and put pressure on Vondrousova and come forward.
She did just that to succeed in the tenth and close out the set on her terms that took 50 minutes.
With the match going into the third set, Svitolina held her serve with a lot of good reaction on the returns. Vondrousova answered with a love service in the second that was a serious statement.
They stayed on serve through four until the first break went in favor of the 19-year-old who painted the court well on the returns to take the lead. Svitolina recovered with a break and consolidated a hold in the seventh.
In a push to go for the double break, Vondrousova denied her that opportunity with a huge winner to cancel out her fifth double fault. Svitolina knew that she couldn’t let the teen get anything on serve and clinched it to hold her at love in the ninth.
With the match much closer and in Svitolina’s reach, the moment was on the Czech to not falter and take the final set deep. It wouldn’t come as returns from Svitolina held to shut down Vondrousova and get a strong win to finish the match in 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Post-match statement
“I didn’t play my best game today but I really needed to fight and stay strong,” Svitolina said to Andrew Krasny after the match.
“Marketa was a tricky player being left handed so I had to adjust to the different speeds so just pleased with the performance that I could just stay strong in a difficult moment.”
What's next
The world no. 6 will now face the Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu in the semis who pummelled the 20th seed and the 2-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza from Spain 6-0, 6-1.
