Maria Sakkari will face Iga Swiatek for the Indian Wells title for the second time in three years after losing to the Polish star in 2022. Maria Sakkari needed four match points and three sets to defeat US Open champion Coco Gauff on Friday, setting up a clash with world number one Iga Swiatek at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters. With the match stopped twice due to rain, ninth-ranked Sakkari lost three match points to Greece in the second set but recovered to win the third set 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2.
After losing to Swiatek for the title for the second time in three years, she will face the Polish star in 2022. Four-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek needed 69 minutes to make her comeback in just the championship match, defeating the 32nd-ranked. Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 6-1.
It’s not an easy victory for Sakkari
It would not be an easy victory for Sakkari, who trailed 4-3 in the opening set when play was halted for 20 minutes due to light rain. Sakkari came back and got the only break to hold the first serve of the opening set and converted his fifth break point.
The game was halted for two hours due to heavy rain and the second set had just begun. Sakkari struck first when it resumed, breaking the error-prone Gauff at 2-1 and then taking a 5-2 lead.
The world number three, but playing in the Indian Wells semi-finals for the first time, responded. Coco Gauff broke Sakkari’s serve easily and made the score 5-3. Coming back from 15–40 down after two games, Sakkari fired the first forehand long but could not convert her three match points, with winners on the way to a service break before Gauff hit two more. Save, bringing the set to 5-5.
All strength was put into the tiebreaker and the American player took a 6-2 lead and eventually levelled the match with a service winner on his fourth set point. They exchanged service breaks to start the third set, but Sakkari won the next three games to take control and break serve for the final time to seal Gauff’s victory after two hours and 41 minutes.
It would have been amazing if this match had happened an hour earlier,” but I don’t want to disrespect Coco, Sakkari told the brave fans braving the rain. Said to the cool night wind. I’m going to win this, even though it was in three sets,” she said. “That was an amazing win. Coco Gauff is an amazing opponent. She fights to the point. She’s incredible. I’m here in the final again, I’m so happy.”
Sheer determination is what matters,” Sakkari said. “That said, I didn’t give up. “You can easily lose your head when you lose the second set by match point. I was on break and things went wrong.
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