Britain’s Cameron Norrie and Spain’s Paula Badosa won the men’s and women’s tournaments in Indian Wells, United States, respectively on Sunday.
Cameron Norrie defeated Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final. As a result, Norrie became the first player ranked outside of the top-25 to win this tournament since 2010.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer had withdrawn from the tournament, which was postponed two and a half years due to COVID-19.
During the two-week event, favorite Daniil Medvedev dropped in the round of 16. Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and third seed Alexander Zverev lost in the quarter-finals.
“Obviously it was pretty miraculous that all the top players lost,” said Norrie, who pocketed US $ 1.2 million. When I looked at the four semi-finalists, I thought there was a great opportunity. “
Norrie (26th) scored the only two breaks in the third set. His victory was confirmed when Basilashvili dispatched a backhand over the baseline.
Basilashvili (36th) became the first player from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia to reach the final of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Norrie, Ivan Ljubicic in 2010, Alex Corretja in 2000 and Jim Courier in 1991 – all ranked 26th – won the men’s singles, out of the top-25, since the tournament moved to Indian. Wells, in 1987.
Larry Stefanki was ranked 143rd when he emerged victorious from the competition in 1985 at La Quinta.
Norrie thwarted Basilashvili’s power from the baseline by exploiting angles. He broke the Georgian’s serve without conceding a single point to complete the second set, following a mistake on Basilashvili’s forehand.
“It is difficult to face. He doesn’t give you any rhythm, observed Norrie. I was able to push him around, hold on and cause trouble in the third set. ”
With a 2-0 lead in the deciding set, Norrie saved three break points in the third game before bringing the score 3-0.
Basilashvili reacted immediately by winning his only game of the third set with a winning forehand in the cross, following a bunt from the Briton.
Norrie has won the last three games, however, to close the game in just under two hours.
Basilashvili said he had “health problems” in the third set.
“I won’t say what it is, but I wasn’t feeling good,” he said. I had nothing left in the tank. ”
The Spanish Paula Badosa, 26th in the world, won against the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 7-6 (7/2).
Badosa, one of the revelations of the year at 23, won the second career title, after the one gleaned in Belgrade earlier in 2021, even if it was thanks to the abandonment of the Croatian Ana Konjuh. She who started the year at the 70th place in the world will make a leap in the WTA rankings.
Before Sunday’s final, the Spaniard had not lost a single set in this tournament played in the Californian desert, for her first participation.
And in that 3:04 am match, she confirmed her mental toughness. She lost the second set 6-2, and in the next one Azarenka served to win the game at 5-4, but Badosa managed to come back in the game and be very solid in the tie for the second time. break, winning on the first of his four match points.
She then collapsed, face down, before going to wipe her tears in the arms of her trainer.
“I was 13, 14, and I saw you playing in Grand Slam, and I told my coach that I wanted to play like Vica one day. Without you and players like you, I wouldn’t be here here, ”the Spaniard told the Belarusian during her speech after receiving the trophy.
Azarenka on her side failed to become the only player to win this tournament three times (after 2012 and 2016). The 32-year-old two-time Australian Open champion and 2020 US Open finalist is still chasing her first tournament win in 2021.