Muristek
Iga Swiatek celebrates at match point defeating Maria Sakkari in the women’s final against at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden March 20, 2022. — Reuters pic
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INDIAN WELLS, March 21 — Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek beat Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 on Sunday to win the WTA Indian Wells title and move to a career-high ranking of number two in the world.
Swiatek’s fifth career title was her second in as many tournaments after her triumph in Doha last month, and pushed her WTA match-win streak to 11.
It also ensured the 20-year-old from Poland, who shot to prominence with her victory at Roland Garros in 2020, will climb two spots to supplant Barbora Krejcikova at number two in the rankings behind Australian Ashleigh Barty on Monday.
“I’m really overwhelmed and honestly my mind is blown,” Swiatek said. “I wasn’t expecting to be in that place, honestly, especially after playing so well in previous touranments I didn’t know it was possible for me to play that well that long.”
But tennis isn’t the only thing that has been on Swiatek’s mind in recent weeks, and as she accepted her trophy she offered a call for unity with Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues to wreak havoc in that country.
Greece’s Sakkari, who came into the tournament ranked sixth in the world and also had a chance to get to number two with a victory, will rise to a career-high third.
Both players struggled to find a rhythm on another breezy day in the California desert, where their first set featured six breaks of serve in what Swiatek called “crazy” conditions.
Trailing 5-4, Sakkari led 40-30 but sent two backhands into the net to give Swiatek a set point, which the Greek saved with forehand winner.
Sakkari came up with a service winner to save another set point, then double faulted to give Swiatek a third chance, the Pole taking the set when Sakkari stroked a backhand into the net.
With a set in hand, Swiatek dominated in the second. Although she couldn’t convert two break points in the second game as Sakkari made it 1-1, Swiatek roared through the next six games to close it out in 80 minutes and remain unbeaten in five career WTA finals. — AFP