INDIAN WELLS, United States, 12 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Defending champion Iga Swiatek stormed into the Indian Wells quarter-finals with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over Karolina Muchova on Tuesday, overcoming rain delays that disrupted much of the day’s matches.
The world number two from Poland needed just 57 minutes to dispatch Muchova, who had taken her to three sets in the 2023 French Open final. Swiatek, winner of the tournament in 2022 and 2024, remained unchallenged throughout the match, not facing a single break point as she continued her quest to become the first woman to win three Indian Wells titles.
The rain, which delayed her match by 55 minutes, added urgency to her approach, particularly when showers returned near the end of the contest.
“In the last two games, it was already a bit slippery, but I really wanted to finish,” Swiatek said. “So I played more aggressively, but fortunately, my shots were still in. I’m happy I closed it out because I knew that big cloud was coming.”
As anticipated, rain caused further delays, with some matches halted for over three hours.
In another notable result, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, ranked 23rd, overcame world number four Jessica Pegula in a hard-fought battle, winning 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 despite multiple interruptions.
“With the rain, the stopping and starting, it was definitely not easy,” Svitolina admitted. “I must have warmed up about ten times today. But everyone is in the same situation—you just have to adjust and keep going.”
Svitolina’s victory set up a quarter-final clash against 17-year-old Russian sensation Mirra Andreeva, who stunned former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win.
Andreeva has now defeated world number seven Rybakina twice in succession, having beaten her in the Dubai semi-finals last month before going on to become the youngest-ever WTA 1000 champion.
Rain Delays Push Late Matches into the Night
The weather disruptions meant that world number six Daniil Medvedev’s night match against American Tommy Paul did not begin until after 10 PM—coinciding with the final women’s match of the day between China’s Zheng Qinwen and Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
Medvedev faced Paul in a rematch of last year’s semi-final, where the Russian had triumphed to reach his second consecutive Indian Wells final, though he ultimately lost to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz on both occasions.
Meanwhile, France’s Arthur Fils took advantage of the long breaks, securing a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory over American Marcos Giron to book a quarter-final spot against the winner of Medvedev vs. Paul.
Rune Ends Tsitsipas’ Winning Streak
Earlier in the day, Denmark’s Holger Rune brushed aside Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4, bringing an end to Tsitsipas’ seven-match winning streak. The Greek player had been riding high after winning his first title in nearly a year in Dubai last month, but Rune’s aggressive play—marked by 22 winners—proved too much.
A particularly spectacular moment came in the second set when Rune, up 4-3, saved a break point with an audacious between-the-legs shot after racing back to retrieve a lob from Tsitsipas. The ball dropped perfectly on the other side of the net, leaving his opponent stunned.
“Mentally, I was very, very good today,” Rune reflected. “That’s what made the difference—how composed I was able to stay.”
Rune will now face 43rd-ranked Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, who caused an earlier upset by eliminating top seed Alexander Zverev in the second round. Griekspoor later secured a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 win over Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki, despite waiting out a second-set rain delay.
Looking Ahead
With multiple upsets and unpredictable weather adding to the drama, the Indian Wells tournament remains wide open. Swiatek, Andreeva, and Rune continue their impressive runs, while the late-night matches featuring Medvedev and Paul are set to shape the final quarter-final lineup. Fans will be eager to see if Swiatek can make history with a third Indian Wells title, or if rising stars like Andreeva and Rune can continue their breakthrough performances.