Defending champion Iga Swiatek moved one step closer to a historic third consecutive Indian Wells WTA title, steamrolling Dayana Yastremska 6-0, 6-2 in the third round on Sunday.
The world number two from Poland was in complete control, winning the first 10 games before Yastremska managed to hold serve twice near the end.
Swiatek converted six of her 11 break-point opportunities and never faced a break point herself, sealing victory in just 65 minutes.
“It’s always hard to finish a match like that,” Swiatek said. “But I’m happy that I got my intensity up the last game and closed it with confidence because for sure it was a great match. I had control from the beginning, so I’m happy with the performance.”
A two-time champion in 2022 and 2024, Swiatek is aiming to become the first woman to win three Indian Wells titles.
Her 20-2 record at the tournament gives her a winning percentage second only to Martina Navratilova, who went 10-0 en route to back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991.
In other matches, Daniil Medvedev continued his quest for a third straight Indian Wells final, facing off against 20-year-old Southern California native Alex Michelsen.
The winner of that contest will meet 10th-seeded American Tommy Paul, who defeated 2021 Indian Wells champion Cameron Norrie 6-3, 7-5.
Tallon Griekspoor followed up his stunning upset of world number two Alexander Zverev by defeating France’s 29th seed, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
The Dutchman fired 10 aces and did not face a single break point in the second set.
Elsewhere, men’s eighth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas took on Italian Matteo Berrettini in a rematch of their Dubai quarter-final, while 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva faced Denmark’s Clara Tauson in a repeat of their Dubai final, where Andreeva became the youngest WTA 1000 champion in history.
