Mirra Andreeva vs. Elina Svitolina
We’re one round, and two wins, away from a much-anticipated Andreeva-Swiatek semifinal. While Iga is the defending champion and has been brilliant again this year, there’s been more chatter about Andreeva’s form. That’s because, at 17, she seems to be getting better with every week, every match, maybe every swing. Last month in Dubai, she beat Elena Rybakina in three tough sets; on Tuesday in Indian Wells she beat her 6-1, 6-2 in 64 minutes.
Can Svitolina, 13 years her senior and a wife and mom, spoil the teen’s debutante party in their first meeting? Before this week, it would have seemed like a long shot. Svitolina was just 6-4 on the year and, at 30, seemingly on a long-term downswing. But she has been revived in Indian Wells, with wins over two Americans, Danielle Collins and Jessica Pegula, who had mostly owned her in the past.
Svitolina has been ranked as high as No. 3, but Andreeva’s ceiling is even higher than that. She already does everything as well as the Ukrainian ever did. This quarterfinal, coming right after her big win over Rybakina and right before a possible meeting with Swiatek, might be termed a classic trap match for her. But I don’t see Andreeva falling into it right now. Winner: Andreeva
