Svitolina Fights Back for Auckland Final Rematch

In the crisp Auckland air, top-seeded Elina Svitolina dug into her reserves to outlast American teenager Iva Jovic 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the semifinals, earning a second straight appearance in the WTA event’s championship match. The 13th-ranked Ukrainian, still feeling the drag from a marathon quarterfinal the night before, turned the tide with deep crosscourt backhands that pinned her opponent deep. This win sets up a Sunday showdown with Wang Xinyu, blending veteran poise against rising baseline power on these medium-paced hard courts.

Svitolina’s path this week has tested her rebuilt stamina since returning from maternity leave, her heavy topspin forehands looping high to disrupt rhythms in key moments. Jovic, the No. 8 American on tour, started strong with flat inside-in winners that exploited the top seed’s sluggish movement, racing to a 3-0 lead after two quick breaks. But Svitolina’s adjustments—shortening her returns and mixing in drop shots—slowed the tempo, allowing her to break back and force a tiebreak where she dominated 6-1 before closing on her third set point.

Svitolina shakes off quarterfinal weariness

The echoes of Friday’s nearly three-hour clash with Sonay Kartal—a 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5) grinder—lingered as Svitolina stepped onto the court, her serves initially lacking bite. She leveled at 4-4 with a pair of breaks, her court coverage turning defense into offense as Jovic‘s aggression faltered under pressure. That shift carried into the second set, where Svitolina broke in the third and fifth games, her two closing aces punctuating a match that preserved her legs for the final.

Supported courtside by her husband Gael Monfils, who begins his own Auckland campaign Monday, Svitolina drew on personal anchors amid the professional push. The 2024 final loss here to Coco Gauff adds emotional weight, a straight-sets defeat that exposed vulnerabilities now addressed through sharper patterns. Her straight-sets close against Jovic signals growing confidence, the crowd’s rising cheers fueling her as the season’s first title hangs in reach.

Wang Xinyu rallies for semifinal survival

Across the draw, seventh-seeded Wang Xinyu of China scripted a comeback, toppling fourth-seeded Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 in a three-set battle of contrasting styles. Eala’s mix of underspin slices and net rushes kept the Chinese player on her heels early, but Wang’s flat groundstrokes found depth in longer rallies, converting key breaks to steal the second set. Her down-the-line passing shots in the decider proved decisive, marking her best run yet at this outdoor hard-court stop.

Auckland’s plexicushion surface, with its predictable bounce, amplifies Wang’s one–two combinations of serve and forehand, tools that have unsettled higher seeds this week. Svitolina, drawing on her experience, will likely target the backhand with crosscourt angles to disrupt that rhythm, turning the final into a tactical duel of spin versus flat pace. As both conserve energy ahead of packed Australian swing schedules, this matchup pits Svitolina’s endurance against Wang’s poise, with ranking points and momentum on the line before the majors unfold.

Final promises baseline chess match

The championship clash looms as a test of adjustments on courts that reward depth over outright speed, where Svitolina’s topspin-heavy game could force Wang into uncomfortable defenses. Monfils’ nearby men’s event adds a familial layer, his support underscoring the blend of life and sport in Svitolina’s resilient arc. With the trophy in sight, expect probing returns and varied depths to decide who claims the early crown, setting tones for a defining 2026.