Women’s number one Iga Swiatek secured a decisive victory against Maria Sakkari on Sunday to win her second BNP Paribas title. Swiatek and Sakkari met at the 2022 final, where the Pole won with almost a similar score. Sakkari had hoped to do something different when they met on Sunday, but unfortunately, history repeated itself as the game ended with a final score of 6-4 6-0 in favour of Swiatek.  

Swiatek’s triumph on Sunday marked her second title of the 2024 season and the 19th of her career, as she joined the ranks of the 10th woman to win multiple titles in Indian Wells. In their sixth showdown, Swiatek gave it her all by rallying to win the final eight games from a 4-4 tie in the opening set.

The 22-year-old wasted no time in asserting dominance in Sunday’s final. She surged to a 3-0 lead in just 15 minutes, taking advantage of on Sakkari’s errors to find her rhythm. Despite facing resistance, Sakkari, seeded ninth, managed to hold from 0-30 down in the fourth game, hinting at a potential shift in momentum.

Sakkari staged a brief comeback, winning three consecutive games to level the first set at 3-3 and remaining competitive until 4-4. However, Swiatek broke Sakkari’s serve for the second time to clinch a hard-fought first set. The momentum carried into the second set, where Swiatek maintained her dominance, dropping just five points and securing her third bagel set of the tournament.

With their career head-to-head now tied at six meetings, Swiatek and Sakkari have consistently battled to decide the winner in straight sets. The next time they step on the court together, it will be a sort of deciding game. 

Moving forward, Swiatek sets her sights on the Miami Open, where she aims to complete the Sunshine Double for the second time. 

Leon Osamor