Svitolina Turns Frustration into Fuel to Stay Alive at WTA Finals

Elina Svitolina admitted she “got a bit angry at myself” as she used that frustration to power a comeback victory over Karolina Muchova at the WTA Finals, keeping her semi-final hopes intact.

The Ukrainian had endured a heavy 6-4, 6-0 defeat to Mirra Andreeva in her opening group match on Monday, and she once again began sluggishly against Muchova.

Her situation appeared to worsen when she called for a medical timeout to address a right hip injury after dropping the first set, and she quickly found herself facing an early break point.

However, the sixth seed saved that break point and steadily wore down Wimbledon runner-up Muchova to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win.

Muchova committed 39 unforced errors across the match, most of them off her forehand, as Svitolina slowly broke her resistance.

Unable to recover after conceding an early break in the deciding set, the Czech surrendered another with her eighth double fault of the contest.

Svitolina made no mistakes at the finish, throwing her head back and roaring in celebration as she sealed the victory.

“I was really angry at myself after the first match and the first set,” Svitolina told Sky Sports.

“Sometimes it [channelling frustration] happens in a good way and sometimes in a bad way.

“I tried to direct my anger towards the ball, and in the end I found my game.”

It marked Svitolina’s ninth win over a top-10 opponent this season, and her first at the WTA Finals since she claimed the title in 2019.

Svitolina can still reach the last four in California, though she will have to wait for the result of Aryna Sabalenka’s meeting with Andreeva before knowing exactly what she needs.

At the Stockholm Open, Britain’s Cameron Norrie went down 7-5, 6-3 to world number 10 Taylor Fritz.

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Holger Rune advanced to the quarter-finals, one year after rupturing his Achilles at the same event.

Following a gruelling 12-month recovery, Rune made his ATP Tour comeback only in October, and he overcame Miomir Kecmanovic 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 to progress.

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