Paula Badosa took down Victoria Azarenka in a three-set thriller at Indian Wells to become just the third woman to win their debut at the event.
The Spainard took home the title in a three-hour final, winning 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(2) to secure the second title of her career after having won in Belgrade earlier this year.
2-0 in finals 🔥🇪🇸 @paulabadosa outlasts Azarenka 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(2) for the @BNPPARIBASOPEN title! pic.twitter.com/upn6HMY0kZ— wta (@WTA) October 17, 2021
2-0 in finals 🔥🇪🇸 @paulabadosa outlasts Azarenka 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(2) for the @BNPPARIBASOPEN title! pic.twitter.com/upn6HMY0kZ
Having entered the tournament ranked No. 27 in the world, she now sits at a career-high ranking of No. 13.
“This year I had, of course, a roller-coaster year, disappointments and everything,” Badosa said after the win. “But after all I’ve been through in my life, it wasn’t disappointment. That’s the good part.
“When you suffer a lot, when you’re young, when you have a little bit of disappointment, you don’t feel it like that. So that’s the good part of what happened this year. Of course, I have bad moments. But compared to the things I’ve been through, it’s nothing.”