Badosa outlasts Azarenka to win Indian Wells in her debut | CBC Sports

Cameron Norrie played Nikoloz Basilashvili in the men’s final later.

Badosa and Azarenka struggled for over three hours, trading back-to-back service breaks five times. The last time Azarenka broke for a 5-4 lead in the third, and Badosa broke right back for a 5-all tie.

WATCH | Badosa wins gruelling battle at Indian Wells:

Spain’s Badosa wins three set war over Azarenka to claim Indian Wells title

Paula Badosa of Spain defeated Victoria Azarenka of Belarus Sunday in the WTA Indian Wells final Sunday 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(2). 1:14

Badosa missed a backhand that allowed Azarenka to hold at 6-all.

Badosa dominated the tiebreaker, racing to a 6-2 lead. Azarenka dumped a forehand into the net to give Badosa match point.

Badosa cracked a forehand winner, then collapsed at the baseline. She lie face down, crying and shaking, before getting up. Azarenka came around the net and hugged the 23-year-old Spaniard.

Azarenka, the two-time major champion and former top-ranked player, was seeking just her second title since 2016. The 32-year-old from Belarus came up short in her bid to become the first woman to win Indian Wells three times, having taken the title in 2012 and 2016.

Projected to rise to career-best No. 13

In the first-set tiebreaker, Badosa had leads of 4-0 and 5-3. Azarenka tied it 5-all on Badosa’s netted forehand. Azarenka missed a backhand to give Badosa a set point and the Spaniard cashed in with a backhand winner to take the set.

Badosa earned $1.2 million US, more than her previous prize money for the year of just over $1 million US.

She came into the tournament ranked 27th in the world; a year ago, she was 87th. Badosa is projected to rise to a career-best 13th in Monday’s WTA Tour rankings.