Iga Swiatek beat Maria Sakkari to win the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Sunday in a match that was tight at moments however by no means doubtful for the world No 1.
Swiatek received 6-4, 6-0, taking out Greece’s most profitable feminine participant with a crisp effectivity that has develop into her trademark. And Swiatek being Swiatek, the win got here with a minimum of one set of pure domination — a second set “bagel” within the scoreline that so usually provides an exclamation level to so lots of her victories.
For Swiatek, the win gave her a second title at Indian Wells, which many in tennis rely as a very powerful event outdoors of the Grand Slams. It’s definitely a very powerful arduous court docket event outdoors of the Grand Slams, partly as a result of it’s one in all simply two combined occasions that pay equal prize cash.
For Sakkari, the loss was each a disappointment but additionally a significant step in turning round a profession that had begun to go within the improper course after her surge into the highest 5 two years in the past. Simply final week she began with a brand new coach, David Witt, who previously coached Venus Williams and Jessica Pegula to nice success, following years of working with Tom Hill, a detailed pal. She additionally works with Ben Crowe now, a mindset guru who was a type of behind the success of Ash Barty.
But it surely was not sufficient to beat Swiatek, who was just too overwhelming as soon as she obtained going, as so usually occurs, like a freight practice rolling down the hill. Sakkari struggled to win factors within the second set and Swiatek secured the title when Sakkari’s closing shot sailed broad.
Swiatek now strikes on to the Miami Open, the place she’s going to attempt to pull off the so-called ‘Sunshine Double’ that she received in 2022, when she first claimed the highest spot on the earth rankings. She has been there for all however just a few weeks ever since.
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