Former French Open champion Inga Swietake defeated Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 to win the WTA Indian Wells title on Sunday to reach a career-high ranking of number two in the world.
Sweetek’s fifth career title was his second in as many tournaments after a win in Doha last month, and he took his WTA match winning streak to 11.
It also ensured the 20-year-old from Poland, who shot to prominence with her victory at Roland Garros in 2020, climbed two places on Monday to move Barbora Krajczykova to second in the rankings behind Australian Ashleigh Barty.
“I’m really overwhelmed and honestly my mind is blown,” Sweetek said, explaining that coming into the tournament she didn’t think it was “realistic” to think she could maintain the level she had achieved. Doha won it for the second consecutive tournament.
“I wouldn’t think of myself as someone who is ready to play two tournaments in a row and win it,” she said.
However, now that she follows Agnieszka Radwanska as the only Polish player to reach number two in the world, she is aiming for even more.
“I think getting number one is closer and closer,” she said.
Greece’s Sakkari, who was ranked sixth in the world at the tournament and had a chance to finish number two with the win, will move to a career-high third place.
Both players struggled to find a rhythm on another sultry day in the California desert, where in their first set Swatek showed six breaks of serve in “crazy” conditions.
“Of course you can see that we’re a little tense in the beginning, and the wind isn’t helping either,” Sweetek said.
“But I’m very happy that I played every game better and better, and I managed to strike a little bit of balance even in these conditions.
“Actually it was very difficult to play the strategy I wanted because of the conditions. But I wanted to be consistent and really solid because that’s the most important thing when the ball is going, you know, in weird directions.”
Trailing 5-4 in the first, Sakkari led 40-30, but sent two backhands into the net to give Swietec a set point, which the Greek saved with a forehand winner.
Sakkari came up with a service winner to save another set point, then a double fault gave Swietake a third chance, Pole captured the set when Sakkari stroked a backhand into the net.
Sweetek dominated the other with one set in hand. Although she could not convert two break points in the second game as Sakkari took a 1–1 lead, Swatek roared in the next six games to close it in 80 minutes and remained unbeaten in five career WTA Finals.
positive step forward
Sakkari fell 1-4 in the final, her only title in Rabat in 2019.
But she said that she is leaving the tournament with full confidence.
“I really believe I took a step forward this week, even though I lost today,” she said.
“I’m disappointed. I’m not going to hide it. I’m very disappointed that I didn’t win today. But there are a lot of positive things that I will take with me.”
This included joining Stefanos Tsitsipas, the only Greek player to be ranked third in the world.
“When I think about it, I can’t believe there are only two girls over me right now,” she said. “I’m very proud that Stefanos and I have really developed tennis in Greece. Having two players in that ranking position is something big for us.”
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