Swiatek beats Sakkari for second Indian Wells title

Iga Swiatek dominated Maria Sakkari to win the Indian Wells final 6-4 6-0 yesterday and claim the title for a second time in the California desert.
In a rematch of the 2022 final, world number one Swiatek came out firing, building a 3-0 lead before Sakkari worked her way back into the set for 4-4.
But on her third set point, the Pole dragged Sakkari from one side of the court to the other before capturing the opener with a forehand winner.
Swiatek, who did not drop a set all tournament, dominated the second, crushing a running backhand for a 3-0 lead and then breaking serve for 4-0 as the outmatched Greek began to fade.
A backhand winner down the line put Swiatek a game away and the top seed sealed the win by breaking serve to love when Sakkari’s forehand sailed wide on match point.
“It’s an amazing thing to be standing here again,” Swiatek said during the trophy ceremony.
“Thank you for really making this feel like home. Every year that I come here I feel really positive vibes because of you. Thank you guys for coming and hopefully we’re going to see each other next year.”
Swiatek is now 19-4 in her career finals and 8-2 at WTA 1000 level while ninth seed Sakkari now has a 2-8 record in finals.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t put up a better fight,” Sakkari told the crowd after the match lasted just over an hour.
“It was pretty quick for you guys but credit to Iga. You’re an amazing player, very good person, incredible champion.
“You really do deserve the best. You and your team have created something incredible. I’m really hoping we can play a lot more finals.”
Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam champion, has now won a WTA leading 20 matches this season and has two titles after her triumph at the Qatar Open in February. The 22-year-old will look to capture her second “Sunshine Double” with a win at the Miami Open.
Top seeds Hsieh and Mertens win second doubles titleTop seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Elise Mertens won their second BNP Paribas Open doubles title after defeating No.3 seeds Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 6-4 in the final yesterday.
The title is Mertens’ 20th career doubles title and Hsieh’s 34th.
This is the fourth Indian Wells title for Hsieh and her second with Mertens.
The two first lifted the trophy together in 2021. Hsieh also won the title in 2014 (w/ Peng) and 2018 (w/ Strycova).
Mertens has now won Indian Wells three times, having won her first with Aryna Sabalenka in 2019.
“It was a little bit special this year, because I didn’t play this tournament for a while, and I was sick since Qatar, so I haven’t practiced a lot,” Hsieh said.
“And I couldn’t do any exercise because the doctor suggest to me do not do any sport.”
The reigning Australian Open champions capped off a dominating fortnight in the desert, as the duo ran through the draw without losing a set. Hsieh and Mertens defeated No.6 seeds Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani, No.4 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez, and the No.3 seeds on Sunday to win their second team title of the year.
Earlier No.4 seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto defeated No.7 seed Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the Fifth Third Charleston 125 to complete a title run in which she did not lose a set.
The result seals the Italian’s third WTA 125 title, following Tampico 2022 and San Luis Potosi 2023, and second on hard courts. Cocciaretto also captured her first tour-level trophy at the Lausanne WTA 250 event last July. No.60-ranked Cocciaretto was only taken to a tiebreak once in five matches, winning her semifinal over Greet Minnen 7-6(4), 6-1 after coming from 4-1 down and saving one set point in the first set.