Svitolina's Auckland Triumph: 19th Title Sparks a Bold 2026 Start
11 January 2026
Svitolina's Auckland Triumph
Elina Svitolina, formerly world No. 1, defeated the seventh seed Wang Xinyu 6-3, 7-6 in a match lasting 1 hour 42 minutes to claim the Auckland Classic title (250 points).
The 31-year-old captured her 19th career title, lifting her final-match record to 19-4 and pushing her win rate to about 83%.
She arrived in Auckland seeking a reset after a tough 2025 when four straight losses and an injury cut her season short. The mission clicked as she rattled off five consecutive wins, beating Katie Boulter in round two and the rising Eva Jovic in the semifinal.
In the on-court interview, Svitolina said it felt amazing to win another title, especially after last year’s rough finish. The break helped her regroup and return with renewed energy, and she was delighted to lift the trophy here.
The victory should lift her to world No. 12 in the WTA rankings, as she chases a return to the top ten and defends 250 Australian Open points later this month.
For Wang Xinyu, the loss is still a big step forward: reaching a second final and moving from No. 57 to No. 43 in the world, per Monday update.
Punchline 1: If titles were calories, Svitolina just burned a whole bakery.
Punchline 2: 2026 might be her year—watch the trophy shelf start filing for a larger apartment.
