Maria Sakkari ended Paula Badosa’s bid for a repeat title at Indian Wells on Friday, beating the defending champion from Spain 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to book a final clash with Iga Swiatek.
Greece’s Sakkari, ranked sixth in the world, ended seventh-ranked Badosa’s bid to become the first woman to win back-to-back Indian Wells titles since Martina Navratilova in 1990-91.
She’ll be gunning for a second career WTA title when she meets Poland’s fourth-ranked former French Open champion Swiatek on Sunday.
