Paula Badosa wins Indian Wells title: 'my dream is to win a tournament like this'

Spaniard overcomes Victoria Azarenka 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 to win BNP Paribas Open final

Paula Badosa, of Spain, poses with the trophy after defeating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, in the singles final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Sunday, October 17, 2021, in Indian Wells, California. AP Photo

Paula Badosa serves as she defeated Victoria Azarenka in the women’s final of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Reuters

Victoria Azarenka hits a shot during the women’s final against Paula Badosa. Reuters

Paula Badosa reacts after winning a point as she defeated Victoria Azarenka. Reuters

Paula Badosa serves to Victoria Azarenka. Reuters

Paula Badosa returns to Victoria Azarenka. Reuters

Paula Badosa, of Spain, holds up her trophy after defeating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus. AP Photo

Paula Badosa, of Spain, kisses the trophy. AP Photo

Victoria Azarenka, right, of Belarus, embraces Paula Badosa, of Spain, after Badosa defeated her in the singles final at the BNP Paribas Open. AP Photo

Paula Badosa gets a hug from Joshua Sorrentino after defeating Victoria Azarenka at Indian Wells. AP Photo

Paula Badosa, of Spain, holds up her racket after defeating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, in singles at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo / John McCoy)

Paula Badosa drops to the ground after defeating Victoria Azarenka. AP Photo

Paula Badosa, of Spain, returns a volley while playing Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus. AP Photo

Victoria Azarenka returns a sho. AP Photo

Paula Badosa, who had not lost a set since her first match of the WTA Tour tournament, needed three hours and four minutes to out-muscle Azarenka 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 7-6 (7/2). AFP

Paula Badosa fulfilled a lifelong dream with the biggest win of her career to defeat Victoria Azarenka to win the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Sunday.

The Spaniard, 23, secured the second title of her career with a hard-fought 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 victory over two-time champion Azarenka.

In doing so, Badosa became just the third woman to win in her Indian Wells debut.

"Every morning I wake up and my dream is to win a tournament like this," Badosa said. "I have to keep working hard and always believe. The key is to enjoy the journey."

Badosa won her only previous WTA final earlier this season in Belgrade but she did it via a retirement over Ana Konjuh.

This one was sweeter because Badosa got to close out the championship point on the court, hammering a forehand winner to the open side that Azarenka could only watch sail in.

Badosa celebrated the biggest win of her career by falling face first to the court, both hands covering her face while the crowd cheered.

"This is a dream come true," said Badosa during the post-match festivities on the court.

She then turned to Azarenka, saying "I remember when I was 14 or 15 years old seeing you win Grand Slams and hoping one day I can play like that."

Two-time Australian Open winner Azarenka was trying to become the first three-time WTA winner in Indian Wells.

She battled back several times on Sunday, digging in after dropping the first set in a tightly-contested tiebreaker. But the 32-year-old Belarussian fell behind early in the final set tiebreaker and couldn't recover.

Badosa got the first break of the match in the seventh game of the opening set but Azarenka immediately broke back to level at 4-4.

Azarenka used an ace to win the fifth game of the opening set and then used another ace to set up the winning point in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead.

The first set took one hour and 20 minutes including the tightly-contested tiebreaker.

Badosa jumped out to a 4-0 lead but Azarenka clawed her way back in to level it 5-5. An unforced error by Azarenka created set point and Badosa overpowered her with a blistering cross court forehand winner to end the marathon set.

Despite losing a gruelling first set in a tiebreaker, Azarenka looked the fresher of the two in at the beginning of the second set.

She won the first three games of the second to set the tone and then served out the set with some solid placements and a few aces sprinkled in.

Azarenka smacked an ace to get to set point then closed it out when Badosa hit a backhand long.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Azarenka held serve in the eighth game of the third set and blasted a backhand winner down the line to level the set at 4-4.

Azarenka broke in the ninth game but Badosa returned the favour in the very next game as the third set, like the entire match, went back and forth.

The tiebreak was pretty much all Badosa as the veteran Azarenka appeared to run out of gas, losing four of the final five points of the match.