Osaka completes dream run at Indian Wells for first title

Naomi Osaka put a bow on her dream run at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., on Sunday, dominating Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2 in the event’s final to claim her first WTA title.

Osaka had beaten top-ranked Romanian Simona Halep in straight sets in the semifinals Friday to advance to Sunday’s final. The unseeded 20-year-old’s two weeks at the event featured only one dropped set in her seven wins and an upset of No. 5 seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

The rising star from Japan won nine of her last 11 games against a fellow 20-year-old in Kasatkina, overpowering her in the return game and holding a 5-2 edge in aces to win in nearly 71 minutes.

“I was extremely stressed and extremely nervous, but my plan was to fake that I’m very calm,” Osaka said after the match.

“I just knew that she was going to fight for every point, too, so I couldn’t afford to lose points based on nerves, and I had to keep making the right decisions.”

Kasatkina’s run through the tournament included upsets of second-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki and eighth-seeded American Venus Williams.

“Basically she was much better today than me, so she really deserved to win,” Kasatkina said of Osaka. “I think we were both nervous at the beginning, because [this was our] biggest finals so far. During the match, she was able to manage her nerves and stuff, and I was still a little bit tight.

“She’s very powerful. She’s playing, serving good, and doesn’t have weaknesses. She’s hitting her forehand, backhand, so she’s really tough.”

Osaka is the youngest champion in Indian Wells since Ana Ivanovic (20 years, 138 days) won in 2008. Her world ranking is expected to climb from No. 44 to No. 22 on Monday.

“I really wanted to win this, but also I just tried to think it was a first-round match and just not psych myself out too much,” she said. “I don’t really know what’s going on right now. I really feel like I have another match I have to play tomorrow, and it didn’t really sink in that I won. I’m happy.”

–Field Level Media