Defending champion Iga Swiatek made quick work of China’s Zheng Qinwen, securing her spot in the Indian Wells semi-final where she’ll face off against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva. Last year’s encounter at the Paris Olympics had seen Zheng triumph as she claimed gold, but this time around, Swiatek was clearly in control from start to finish.
In their first meeting since that Olympic clash, Swiatek, currently ranked world number two, took the first set with a score of 6-3. She then raced ahead to a commanding 5-1 lead in the second set before play was halted due to inclement weather. Despite the interruption, which seemed to breathe some life into Zheng’s game as she claimed two consecutive games when play resumed, Swiatek quickly regained her focus, wrapping up the match with another 6-3 set.
Reflecting on the match, Swiatek shared, “It was a strange match with all the breaks, but I wanted to stay composed and focused, and I’m glad I managed to do that.”
The 23-year-old Swiatek is on the hunt for a record third title at Indian Wells, having previously won the event in 2022 and 2024. Her next challenge will come on Friday against the 17-year-old rising star Andreeva, who advanced to the semis after defeating Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-3.
Andreeva, who made waves by stunning Swiatek in a previous quarter-final on her way to becoming the youngest player to claim a WTA 1,000 title in Dubai just last month, promises to be another formidable opponent.
