Elina Svitolina kept her WTA Finals campaign alive with a comeback win over Karolina Muchova in Indian Wells on Wednesday, 11 November. The Ukrainian won 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in just over two hours to record her first victory at the season-ending event since 2019.

Muchova made the stronger start and took control of the opening set. She broke Svitolina twice to move 5-2 ahead and closed out the set 6-3 in 42 minutes, with Svitolina struggling to find rhythm on serve. After losing the set, Svitolina called for the physiotherapist, who treated her right leg on court during a medical timeout.

The break in play proved to be the turning point. Muchova still led 2-1 in the second set and held a break point for 3-1, but Svitolina held her serve and then won the last five games of the set to level the match at one set all.

Svitolina seals the decider

Svitolina carried that momentum into the third set. The players were tied at 1-1 before the Ukrainian won five of the next six games, breaking Muchova twice on her way to a 6-2 deciding set. She closed out the match in two hours and two minutes, improving her career record against Muchova to four wins from five meetings.

The result leaves Svitolina with one win and one defeat in Group 2. She lost her opening match to Mirra Andreeva 6-4, 6-0, while Muchova had lost her first match to Aryna Sabalenka 7-6, 7-5. Muchova has now lost both of her group matches and can no longer reach the semi-finals.

First Finals win since 2019

Svitolina won the WTA Finals in 2018 and reached the final in 2019, losing to Ash Barty, but this is her first appearance at the tournament since then. The win over Muchova was her first at the event in seven years, and it keeps her in contention for a place in the last four. She arrived in Indian Wells after a strong season, and she remains the only Ukrainian player ever to qualify for the WTA Finals.

Andreeva has already secured top spot in the group after beating Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 later on Wednesday. That leaves one semi-final place to be decided on Friday, when Svitolina meets Sabalenka in a straight shootout. The winner will join Andreeva in the semi-finals, while Muchova plays Andreeva in the group's final round-robin match.

Sources: Reuters; TennisUpToDate