Wang and Svitolina Edge Thrillers into Auckland Final

In Auckland’s ASB Classic, the semifinals stretched into a humid Saturday night, totaling four hours and 22 minutes before wrapping around 10:30 p.m. local time. Wang Xinyu, the seventh seed, faced a three-set marathon against fourth seed Alexandra Eala, her heavy topspin forehands trading blows in crosscourt exchanges that kept the crowd on edge. Nearly three hours in, Wang sealed a 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 win, her timely breaks turning the tide after early leads slipped away.

The opener saw Wang surge to 4-0 and then 5-1, only for Eala to reel off six straight games with sharp down-the-line backhands that exploited second-serve vulnerabilities. In the second, Wang broke early for 2-0, but Eala countered with three games to lead 5-3, holding match point on her serve. Wang’s deep returns forced errors—a forehand long, followed by two more—yielding the break and sparking four straight games to force a decider.

Wang carried the momentum into the third, claiming the first four games with a one–two pattern of serve and inside-out forehand that pinned Eala deep. Eala broke back to 5-4, her baseline fire trimming the lead, but Wang held firm, closing with precise shot-making amid Eala’s mounting unforced errors. The match featured 34 combined break points, Eala earning 19 but converting only six, while Wang turned seven of 15 into her edge.

Wang flips pressure into propulsion

That single match point save at 5-3 in the second set marked the pivot, coming when Eala pushed a forehand long on her serve. Two more errors handed Wang the break, the first of four games she swept to level the sets. Post-that-point, 95 rallies unfolded, Wang winning 54 to Eala’s 41, her focus sharpening as the Auckland crowd’s murmurs turned to cheers.

Wang’s 10 aces in the semifinal pushed her tournament total to 23, the most among players, often setting up crosscourt forehands that targeted Eala’s backhand. This victory marked her second career final, following a three-set loss to Marketa Vondrousova on grass in Berlin last June, a breakthrough from her 1-10 semifinal record entering the week. On these medium-paced hard courts, where bounce aids aggressive returns, Wang’s flatter shots disrupted Eala’s rhythm, her conversion rate proving the difference in a battle of attrition.

Outstanding battle 👏 #XinyuWang is into her first Auckland final after defeating Eala 5-7, 7-5, 6-4. #ASBClassic26 pic.twitter.com/lKx0mp5D01

— wta (@WTA) January 10, 2026

The nightcap brought top seed Elina Svitolina against 18-year-old Iva Jovic, a chaotic first set giving way to control in the second for a 7-6(5), 6-2 win in one hour and 34 minutes. Jovic bolted to 3-0 with blistering inside-in forehands that tested Svitolina’s movement on the true-bouncing surface, but the Ukrainian rallied with deep returns and underspin backhands to force a tiebreak she claimed after 54 minutes of gritty play.

Svitolina steadies against youth surge

Svitolina dropped the second set’s opener but reeled off six of the last seven, her serve variations—wide slices to the deuce side mixed with body serves—winning 65 percent of first-serve points, 10 points clear of Jovic. She held a 49 to 35 percent edge on second serves, using drop shots to pull the American forward and disrupt her flat groundstrokes. Three aces capped the match, two in the final game, underscoring her closing precision.

Svitolina entered on a four-match losing streak but flipped it with wins over Varvara Gracheva, Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal, and now Jovic, extending to four straight victories. This marks her second Auckland final, the first in 2024 ending in a three-set loss to Coco Gauff, and her 23rd career final overall, where she holds 18 titles—an 82 percent success rate. Against Wang, it’s their second meeting; Svitolina won straight sets in Wimbledon’s fourth round in 2024, dropping just three games.

No stopping @ElinaSvitolina 😎

Elina Svitolina defeats Jovic to secure her spot in the final 💥#ASBClassic26 pic.twitter.com/aiZ3fchSGu

— wta (@WTA) January 10, 2026

Sunday decider tests hard-court arcs

For the final, Svitolina chases title number 19, her all-court game suited to Auckland’s hard courts that reward one–two combinations and return depth. Wang, seeking her first WTA title, brings improved serve power and resilience, her aces challenging Svitolina’s hold rates from the semis. The 31-year-old Ukrainian’s experience contrasts the 24-year-old Chinese player’s breakthrough poise, with rankings at stake—a win here nets 280 points vital in the early 2026 grind.

Auckland’s summer vibe, with Pacific breezes aiding topspin grip just enough, amplifies the tactical intrigue: Wang’s ability to protect leads without collapse, Svitolina’s poise in extending her resurgence. Jovic, denied her second final, leaves with promise, her aggressive strokes hinting at future threats. As the semifinals’ energy lingers, Sunday’s clash promises mental edges as sharp as any down-the-line winner, shaping trajectories in the WTA’s hard-court opener.

Follow the buildup via Auckland: Scores, Auckland: Draws, and Auckland: Order of play. The #XinyuWang breakthrough in the 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 win over Eala captured the #ASBClassic26 intensity, complete with pic.twitter.com/lKx0mp5D01 from January 10, 2026. Likewise, @ElinaSvitolina‘s defeat of Jovic shone through pic.twitter.com/aiZ3fchSGu on January 10, 2026.