Iga Swiatek advanced to the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells for the third time in a row.
The world number 1 was leading 6-4, 1-0 when her opponent, former world number 1, Caroline Wozniacki was forced to withdraw from the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open due to a right leg injury.
The BNP Paribas Open champion for the 2022 season had to fight extra hard from 1-4 in the first set before winning by one set.
Meanwhile, Wozniacki, who won at Indian Wells in the 2011 season, asked for a break for medical reasons and checked the condition of her legs between the two sets and she could only play one game before deciding to end the match early.
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“I hope Caroline will get better and she will be ready for Miami,” said Iga Swiatek.
“That’s not the best way to win. But I was happy that I played well enough in the first set to win it. For sure it is quite strict. At the start of the match, we had a lot of longer rallies, so, I felt I had to play solid and be ready. In the end, I feel happy that I took my chances in the last games.”
The ending was an abrupt end to a match that was anticipated after bringing together two Grand Slam champions and once ranked number 1 in the world. The two tennis players had previously met in Toronto in the 2019 season, which the Polish national won in three sets. At that time, Caroline Wozniacki was ranked 18th in the world and the Polish tennis player was ranked 65th in the world.
The tennis player, who was playing in his first quarter-final in the last four seasons, looked sharp in the opening games. He also saved three break point opportunities in his first service game before building a 4-1 lead.
However, the first seed’s slick play was able to help him turn things around, including converting the fourth break point opportunity and winning 5-4.
The world number 1 won the fifth game in a row with the help of an ace to close the first set, before Wozniacki’s injury stopped the match momentarily, after 65 minutes of play.
In the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open, Swiatek will face the 31st seed, Marta Kostyuk. The first seed won their first meeting at the 2021 French Open.
The Ukrainian tennis player advanced to the semifinals of the WTA 1000 level tournament for the first time thanks to a 6-0, 7-5 victory over the 28th seed, Anastasia Potapova.
