© Getty Photographs Sport – Matthew Stockman
Iga Swiatek ousted Maria Sakkari to elevate her second Indian Wells title and joined the nice Serena Williams in attaining one spectacular feat within the desert. Two years in the past, Swiatek received her first Indian Wells title after dismantling Sakkari 6-4 6-1 within the 2022 ultimate within the desert.
On Sunday, Swiatek and Sakkari met once more in the identical match and the identical part. Once more, the end result was the identical with nearly the equivalent outcome because the Pole crushed the Greek 6-4 6-0 this time.
By claiming her second Indian Wells title, 22-year-old Swiatek joined Williams and Kim Clijsters on the record of gamers who’ve managed to win a number of titles within the desert earlier than turning 23, by way of OptaAce.
In 2001, Williams was 19 when she received her second Indian Wells title however then did not play on the match once more till 2016 as a consequence of alleged racial abuse. On the opposite facet, Clijsters was additionally 22 when she received her second Indian Wells title.
3 – Iga Swiatek is the third participant to safe a number of titles in Indian Wells earlier than turning 23 after Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters. Paradise! #TennisParadise | @BNPPARIBASOPEN @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/9u7gZ7dSho — OptaAce (@OptaAce) March 17, 2024
How Swiatek beat Sakkari for the 2024 Indian Wells title?
Prime-seeded Swiatek obtained off to an incredible begin to the match, claiming an early break for a 3-0 lead.
Down early, No. 9 seed Sakkari managed to reply and rapidly get the break again to tie the primary set to a few video games apiece. However in the important thing moments of the primary set – with Swiatek main 5-4 and Sakkari serving to remain within the opener – the Pole earned three consecutive set factors on the Greek’s serve and realized her third to win the primary set.
Dropping the primary set in such a devastating method deeply impacted Sakkari, whose sport utterly shut down as Swiatek received the second set with no dropped sport to seal the 2024 Indian Wells title in a really spectacular method.
Now, Swiatek has 19 titles in her assortment – eight titles from the WTA 1000 – and two titles in 2024.
Beforehand, Swiatek received a WTA 1000 match in Doha in February. Subsequent up for Swiatek is Miami, the place she will even attempt to win her second title.
