Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari – Women’s Final – Preview & Prediction | 2022 Indian Wells Masters
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THE FACTS
When is Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari on and what time does it start? Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari will take place on Sunday 20th March, 2022 – not before 20:00 (UK)
Where is Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari taking place? Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari will take place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, USA
What surface is Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari being played on? Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari
What channel is Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari on in the UK? Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari will be televised live on the Amazon Prime app on Smart TVs
Where can I stream Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari in the UK? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream Iga Swiatek vs Maria Sakkari live on Prime Video
THE LOWDOWN
IGA SWIATEK
20-year-old Iga Swiatek will set a new career-high WTA world ranking of second if she can beat Maria Sakkari in the Indian Wells final after she beat in-form Simona Halep in straight sets on Friday. The Pole is riding a 10-match winning streak after claiming the Qatar Open title last week, her second Masters title after winning the Italian Open last season. Swiatek’s crowning achievement remains her faultless run to the Roland-Garros title in 2020 as a teenager at world number 54 and she came close to emulating that in January with a brilliant run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
MARIA SAKKARI
26-year-old Maria Sakkari will set a career-high WTA world ranking of third no matter the outcome of her first Masters final after she overcame the defending champion, Paula Badosa, in three sets. The Greek has just one WTA title to her name from the 2019 Rabat Open but she has come so close to greatness on several occasions over the last few seasons, not least in losing in the semi-finals of Roland-Garros and the US Open last season to eventual champions Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu. Sakkari became the first Greek to qualify for the WTA Finals last November, where she lost to Anett Kontaveit in the semi-finals. Kontaveit has also beaten the Greek in her last two tour finals at last season’s Ostrava Open and last month’s St. Petersburg Open.
THE PREDICTION
This should be a thrilling match between two of the most impressive players on the WTA tour. Iga Swiatek is clearly a multiple Grand Slam champion in the making as she prepares for the third Masters final of her career, with her ruthless brand of all-out pressure tennis sweeping almost all comers aside once she gets into a rhythm. However, Maria Sakkari was clearly moved by her victory over Paula Badosa after a series of semi-final exits at Masters and Grand Slams over the last year or so. There is a sense with the Greek that she feels like she is running out of time to capitalise on the peak of her powers. Hardly any player hits the ball as hard as Sakkari can and having thrown the monkey off her back against Badosa she could be unplayable in this final is he finds her very best level.
Sakkari leads this head-to-head record 3-1 with three victories over Swiatek last season in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros, where in truth the defending champion was carrying an injury, the semi-finals of the Ostrava Open and at the WTA Finals. However, Swiatek grabbed her first win over the Greek in straight sets in the semi-finals of the Qatar Open last month, the fourth of her current 10-match winning streak, and she can be backed to win outright here to lift a third Masters title.
