Elina Svitolina secured her place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 DC Open by overcoming Polina Kudermetova in a tense Round of 16 encounter on Thursday night. The world No. 10 and tournament second seed triumphed 7-6(4), 6-4 in a contest that challenged her composure from the outset in Washington.
Elina Svitolina Defeats Polina Kudermetova to Reach DC Open Quarterfinals
Kudermetova pushed hard in the opening set, serving to close it out twice and even holding a set point at 6-5. Yet, Svitolina responded resiliently, executing a critical backhand passing shot to force a tiebreak, where she eventually pulled ahead. The second set saw the Ukrainian save three break points at 4-3 before sealing the victory after one hour and 27 minutes on court.
This win ended Svitolina’s challenging month-long drought without a victory, a stretch that began on June 23rd.
Reflecting on her performance, Svitolina noted, “I was trying to be locked in… first match, hard courts, everything is new.”
Alexandra Eala Readies for Mubadala DC Open Test
With this victory, Svitolina sets up a quarterfinal rematch against rising star Alexandra Eala. The two players recently met on grass in Berlin six weeks ago, where Eala prevailed 6-3, 6-4. However, Svitolina views the upcoming Washington clash as a fresh opportunity.
“Tomorrow is a new surface, new country, a new city, so it’s a new challenge,” she said, emphasizing the reset that the DC Open quarterfinal presents.