Fri Nov 08 17:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Swiatek Knocked Out of WTA Finals as Krejcikova Secures Semi-Final Spot

**Riyadh, Saudi Arabia** – Defending champion Iga Swiatek has been eliminated from the WTA Finals after a shock defeat in the group stage. Despite winning her final group match against Daria Kasatkina in straight sets, Swiatek was ultimately reliant on Coco Gauff to beat Barbora Krejcikova in order to progress. However, Krejcikova emerged victorious in a thrilling match, securing her place in the semi-finals and ending Swiatek’s title defense.

Swiatek, who dominated the tour for much of the past two years, has struggled in the second half of the season. Her early season success, including wins at Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, Rome, and the French Open, was overshadowed by a dip in form that saw her lose the world number one ranking to Aryna Sabalenka.

Krejcikova, who entered the tournament as an outsider after finishing 12th in the season rankings, has found her best form at the right time. She beat both Jessica Pegula and Gauff in back-to-back matches to reach the semi-finals for the first time.

Swiatek, in a bid to address her slump, recently changed coaches, bringing on Wim Fissette to replace Tomasz Wiktorowski. She aims to improve her service game and adapt her skills to quicker surfaces. However, despite a strong performance against Kasatkina, she struggled on Tuesday against Gauff in a straight-set defeat that ultimately proved costly.

The semi-finals will take place on Friday with Krejcikova facing Zheng Qinwen, and Gauff going up against Sabalenka.

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