Match Details

• Match: Iga Swiatek Vs Maria Sakkari.
• Tournament: Indian Wells 2022 / BNP Paribas Open 2022.
• Date: 20th March 2022.
• Time: TBD.
• Venue: Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California.
• Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.
• Round: Final.
• Category: WTA 1000.
• Prize money: $8,369,455.

Iga Swiatek Vs Maria Sakkari Preview

Iga Swiatek will face Maria Sakkari in the final of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open. Swiatek is ranked No. 4 in the world, whereas Sakkari is ranked No. 6 worldwide.

Swiatek has come a long way since she made a name for herself at the tender age of 19 by winning the French Open 2020. With the poise of a veteran and the shots of a champion, 19-year-old Iga Swiatek inscribed her name in tennis fans' hearts. Afterwards, from reaching the Semifinals of Adelaide international and the Australian Open 2022 to establishing her dominance over the Qatar Open, Swiatek has been in tremendous form. She advanced to the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Open after defeating Anhelina Kalinina, Clara Tauson, and former World No. 1, Angelique Kerber. The Pole won all three matches after coming back from a set down.

However, former world No. 1 Simona Halep awaited her in the semifinals, posing the tournament's toughest fight for the pole. But, that did not stop Swiatek from outlasting Halep in straight sets (7-6(8-6), 6-4) to move one step closer to the trophy.

This year, Maria Sakkari has also had some impressive results. She reached the semifinals of the WTA 1000 in Qatar and was a finalist in St. Petersburg. Previously the Greek was upset by Viktorija Golubic in the Indian Wells tournament. However, this year, she has rectified her mistakes. After an opening-round bye, the World No. 6 defeated Czech players Katerina Siniakova, Two-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova and Daria Saville in the second third and fourth rounds, respectively.

Afterwards, Sakkari defeated World No. 20 Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals, allowing herself to compete in the semifinals against defending winner Paula Badosa. Nonetheless, the World No. 6 gave it her all in the match, defeating the Spaniard 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, and advancing to the biggest final of her career so far.

Iga Swiatek Vs Maria Sakkari Head-To-Head Records

Sunday's contest will be the 5th meeting between the two players. In the head-to-head, Sakkari has a 3-1 advantage over Swiatek. The last time that they encountered each other, Swiatek won the match 6-4, 6-3, in the 2022 Qatar Open.

Read more: Indian Wells 2022: 5 players who can take the trophy home (Female)

Iga Swiatek Vs Maria Sakkari: Who Will Be The Ultimate Winner ?

This could turn out to be a super thrilling contest as both Swiatek and Sakkari have been playing at a high level over the past few weeks. Considering her current form and ranking, Swiatek will enter the match as the overwhelming favourite.

Maria Sakkari, meanwhile, is more inclined towards power tennis and she could trouble the Pole with her great serves and powerful groundstrokes. However, Swiatek's algorithm has also altered recently, and she is now playing considerably more aggressively. That would undoubtedly work in her favour. Nevertheless, if all goes well, she will be able to win the match with her powerful cross-court backhands.

Our Prediction: Iga Swiatek will win in straight sets.

Read more: All Grand-Slams To Implement 10-Point Tie-Breaks In Final Set, 70-68 Will Never Happen Again

Iga Swiatek's Previous best Performances in Indian Wells

The World No. 4 had previously advanced to the fourth round of the Indian Wells in 2021.

Maria Sakkari's Previous best Performances in Indian Wells

Previously, she reached the Round of 16 in the Indian Wells 2018 where her run was cut short by Japan's Naomi Osaka.

Iga Swiatek Vs Maria Sakkari: Where To Watch?

However, all of the action will be broadcasted live for spectators in the following countries, on the following networks and websites:

• USA: Viewers in the United States can catch all the action on Tennis Channel.
• UK: Enthusiasts in the United Kingdom can watch the action live on Amazon Prime Video.

Live streaming will also be available on the Official 2022 BNP Paribas Open mobile app for fans who are onsite at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, apart from the ATP tour, WTA tour and Tennis Channel Plus apps.

WTA World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has not won any titles since last year's French Open, despite having an overall strong season. Even worse, a Polish news outlet recently reported that Swiatek was considering skipping Wimbledon 2025 to prepare for the US Open in August.

Also Read: Australian Open Winners list (Women)

Swiatek strongly refused those reports during her Media Day press conference at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. The five-time Grand Slam champion said, "Shouldn't believe this stuff." She added, “During past few days I saw million comments that were not true.”

'I'm not going to skip Wimbledon'

Swiatek further explained, "I don't get it. There are so many theories right now, I would say, especially in Polish media, about me that are not true. I think, I don't' know, you guys like to make some articles that will attract people. I get it. It's part of the job.

"But yeah, for sure, I'm not going to skip Wimbledon. I really want to learn how to play on grass better. Every year is another opportunity. I will play Wimbledon, for sure, unless I get injured."

'love-and-hate relationship with my perfectionism'

A former junior Wimbledon champion, the 23-year-old has posted her least dominant results on grass in the years since winning her first major title at 2020 Roland Garros. Relatively subpar results on hard courts and clay have been more surprising, leading Swiatek to consider her own perfectionism as a source of this recent late-stage inconsistency.

“I have [a] love-and-hate relationship with my perfectionism. The thing is that I only remember the good stuff from last years because I was winning titles and everything. My head kind of remembers the good stuff.” said Swiatek.

Also Read: 20 Highest-paid female athletes in the world: PV Sindhu only Indian on the list

Wimbledon 2025 to begin in June

Swiatek is currently the WTA World No. 2 with a record of 26-8 on the season with zero titles. The Polish superstar's campaign at the Italian Open starts on Thursday, May 8. Fans can mark their calendars for the French Open, which will start on May 25, and Wimbledon 2025, which will begin June 30.

The full list of entrants for the Paris Olympics 2024 Tennis Event has been confirmed on Thursday at Wimbledon by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), organizer of the event on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Indian athletes who qualified for the Paris 2024

The Paris Olympics 2024 will be held on clay at the Roland Garros Stadium over nine days, from 27 July to 4 August. It will be played on 12 competition courts, with six more for training. The Philippe-Chatrier stadium, which can seat 15,000, and the Suzanne-Lenglen stadium, which can hold 9,000, will be the main courts and both have retractable roofs.

Lebanon makes its Olympic debut

A total of 41 nations will be represented, with 184 players competing in five events (men's and women's singles, doubles, and mixed doubles). Lebanon will make its debut in the competition. Sixty-four players will compete in both singles events, while 32 teams will contest both doubles events. Entries for the 16-team mixed doubles event will be determined on July 24.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray lead the list

The men's and women's singles rosters feature top players such as world No. 1 players Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina. The lists also include other former Olympic champions such as Rafa Nadal, a singles and doubles gold medalist, as well as two-time singles gold medalist Andy Murray and Beijing 2008 doubles gold medalist Stan Wawrinka. 

There is a limit of four singles players per gender and country. Nations have also been able to nominate up to two doubles teams per event, with a maximum of six players per gender per country in total.

Under the ITF Ranking System, all players must be in good standing with their national federation and have met the eligibility requirements for the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Any player who did not meet this criteria could have had his or her national federation apply for an exemption from the ITF Olympic Committee. The ATP and WTA rankings as of June 10 were used for entry.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: IOA's members to get allowance of $300 per day, players to get $50

For men's and women's doubles, the top 24 teams were selected on a combined singles or doubles ranking, with the top 10 doubles players eligible to enter directly with any partner with a Top 300 ranking. In accordance with IOC player quota regulations, for the remaining eight teams priority was given to teams that included two singles players, followed by teams that included one singles player.

Entries for the mixed doubles event, which will feature 16 teams, will be determined on-site from players already competing in singles or doubles, with a maximum of one team per country. Registration closes at 11:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Wednesday 24 July and the ITF will announce the entry list shortly afterward.

Check out the full entry list of Paris Olympics 2024 here

World No. 1 Iga Siwatek defeated Jasmine Paolini by 6-2, 6-1 in the Roland Garros final to win her fourth French Open and fifth Grand Slams title. The Polish tennis star took just 68 minutes to win the final and keep her 100% record intact in the Grand Slam finals.

Read Also: 20 Highest-paid female athletes in the world: PV Sindhu only Indian on the list

With this win, Iga Swiatek became the third Women's tennis player in the open era to win the Roland Garros in three consecutive years. Before her only Monica Seles in 1990-92 and Justine Henin in 2005-07 were able to accomplish the ‘three-peat' in Roland-Garros. 

Read Also: Youngest Grand Slam Champion (Men) | Top 10 List

Iga now extended her Roland-Garros win streak to 21 matches. It was in 2021 when she lost a match at Roland Garros in the quarter-finals against Maria Sakkari.

Read Also: Most matches in Tennis history (male & female): Tennis Records

The No. 1 WTA tennis player took just 34 minutes to win the first set and another 34 minutes to win the second. Although in the first three games of the first set, Jasmine Paolini tried her best to make a match in the final, Iga powered through five games in a row to claim the first set. 

The Italian was not able to put up any resistance against Iga as the Polish star won the second set very easily. 

World number one player Iga Swiatek will face Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the women's singles final of the French Open 2024 at Roland Garros, Paris on Saturday.

Jasmine Paolini had not been able to go beyond the fourth round in any Grand Slam before. Indian tennis fans are eager to watch the women's final of the French Open 2024. In such a situation, know here where and how you can watch this final match.

Also Read: Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List

How to watch French Open 2024 women's singles final in India?

According to Indian time, this great tennis match will start on Saturday (June 08) at 6:30 pm. You can watch the live telecast of this tournament on Sony Sports Network. Apart from this, you can also watch its live streaming on Sony Liv and JioTV in India. 

Swiatek and Paolini's route to French Open 2024 final

Current champion Iga Swiatek has taken a big step towards her third consecutive French Open title by defeating America's Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4 in the semi-finals. She won her 11th win out of her 12 matches against Coco Gauff.

In the second semifinal, Italy's Jasmine Paolini defeated Russian young player Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-1 to reach the final and continued Italy's success in this tournament.

23-year-old Switek will try to win her fourth and third consecutive French Open title. On the other hand, 28-year-old Paolini has reached the final of the French Open for the first time. But the 12th seed has played some inspired tennis this season. She won the Dubai Masters in February, the biggest title of her career.

Also Read: Youngest Grand Slam Champion (Men) | Top 10 List

Head-to-head record

When it comes to head-to-head record, Swiatek leads Paolini 2-0. They first faced each other in an ITF event in Prague six years ago, which remains their only meeting on clay. The next time they played against each other was during the first round of a title-winning run for Swiatek at the 2022 US Open.

Sports stands as one of the highest-paid professions globally because of vast financial rewards and entertainment value. However, despite many achievements, female athletes continue to earn substantially less than male athletes. Forbes' 2023 ranking highlighted this vast difference, with the top 20 male athletes gather $1.9 billion, more than eight times the earnings of the top 20 women. Today, we shift our focus to the top 20 highest-paid female athletes of the 2023-24 period and how much do they make in a year including prize money, endorsements and net worth.

The leading business magazine Forbes has revealed the world's highest-paid female athletes list. Twelve out of 20 athletes are from the world of tennis and dominate the chart. While Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu is India's sole representative on the list. she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings.

Highest-paid Female Athletes | Top 20 List

1. Iga Swiatek (Tennis) | $23.9 million

At the age of 22, women's tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland topped the highest-paid female athletes list with an estimated $23.9 million (before taxes and agents' fees). In 2023, Swiatek was recognised as one of tennis's brightest stars by winning the second consecutive WTA Player of the Year Award. She has now spent a total of 82 weeks at the top spot, ranking 10th in WTA history. Swiatek also occupies the 14th position on the tour's career prize money list, boasting nearly $25 million in earnings.

Swiatek earned $14 million of her income through endorsements. Visa, On shoes and apparel, Oshee sports drinks and information technology company Infosys are some of the prominent brands endorsed by Swiatek.

2. Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing) | $22.1 million

Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier and model, came in second on the top highest-paid female athletes list. She made $22.1 million in 2023, with the majority of her earnings coming from endorsements. Brands such as Mengniu Dairy and sportswear giant Anta in China, as well as luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret in the West, have all invested in partnerships with Gu. She was born in San Francisco but represented China in competition.

Despite struggling with a knee injury, Gu made a successful return in December and clinched victory in halfpipe events in both China and Colorado during her first World Cup action in 11 months.

Also Read: The Soaring Value of Women's Sports: A Game-Changer in the Sports World

3. Coco Gauff (Tennis) | $21.7 million

Coco Gauff enjoyed the biggest season of her career in 2023 on the court, highlighted by her breakthrough victory at the US Open, her first Grand Slam title. Gauff has won four WTA tournaments in 2023 and as a result, she achieved a career-best No. 3 ranking in singles.

Apart from that, Gauff also raked in the deals and endorsements off the court, too. She has an estimated net worth of $21.7 million. 19-year-old Gauff demonstrated her commercial appeal by securing partnerships with brands such as Baker Tilly, Bose, and UPS this year. Recognized for her passion for Marvel superheroes, Gauff was featured in an advertisement for the 2023 film "The Marvels" and graced the cover of a limited-edition Invincible Iron Man comic book.

4. Emma Raducanu (Tennis) | $15.2 million

2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, number three last year, played only 10 matches in 2023 as she underwent surgery on both her wrists and one ankle midway through the way. Despite this, she earned $15.2 million this campaign with $15 million coming from endorsements. Raducanu has an endorsement deal with HSBC, Tiffany, British Airways, Christian Dior, Vodafone, Porsche and Evian.

5. Naomi Osaka (Tennis) | $15 million

Naomi Osaka has not played an event since September 2022 till last year as as she gave birth to a daughter in July. Osaka has an estimated net worth of $15 million, which came only through endorsements.

Osaka cut way back on her sponsor commitments in 2023, but she did add a new partner three months ago; Meta created her own AI chatbot character named Tamika. Other celebrities with AI personalities on some Meta platforms include Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Dwyane Wade.

Also Read: Highest paid athlete from each sport in 2022 according to Forbes

6. Aryna Sabalenka (Tennis) | $14.7 million

Aryna Sabalenka had a dominant 2023 as the only women to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slam events, including an Australian Open win and US Open runner-up finish. In September, she became the 29th women to ever hold the No. 1 ranking. She also received the International Tennis Federation's World Champion Award. 

Sabalenka has an estimated net worth of $14.7 million. She recently collaborated with Maestro Dobel Tequila and Leaf Trading Cards. Beyond tennis, Sabalenka invested in wellness brand Beekeeper's Naturals and Olipop soda. She was also featured in Netflix's tennis docuseries Break Point.

7. Jessica Pegula (Tennis) | $12.5 million

Jessica Pegula has yet to make it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event but finished the year ranked fifth in the world thanks to wins in 77% of her matches and two tournament titles. She was named to the esteemed 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Pegula's stellar year on the court was her victory at the Montreal singles tournament, marking the biggest title of her career. In addition, she reached the championship match at the WTA Finals in November.

Pegula has an estimated net worth of $12.5 million. Off the court, Pegula continues to expand her brand presence by securing partnerships with brands such as Dyson headphones, De Bethune watches, and Gorjana jewelry.

8. Venus Williams (Tennis) | $12.2 million

Venus Williams' competitive appearances have become infrequent. She participated in just seven tournaments and played 10 matches last year but her influence as a marketing powerhouse remains. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has recently expanded her brand portfolio through strategic partnerships with Dove and Nestlé's Purina PetCare. Simultaneously, she introduced a jewellery line in collaboration with Reinstein Ross and made a strategic investment in the Los Angeles Golf Club, a team set to compete in the upcoming TGL league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TMRW Sports.

Beyond sports and lifestyle, Williams is extending her impact as an executive producer on "Behind the Racquet".

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam singles matches wins (men and women)

9. Elena Rybakina (Tennis) | $9.5 million

Elena Rybakina backed up her 2022 Wimbledon win with a pair of WTA 1000 tournament wins this year at Indian Wells and Rome, as well as a runner-up finish at the Australian Open. Building on this success, she had an outstanding 2023 season, securing victories in two WTA 1000 tournaments and concluding the year at an impressive No. 4 in the singles rankings.

Throughout her ascent, the 24-year-old player has strategically expanded her brand associations, forging partnerships with notable entities such as Red Bull and Yonex.

10. Leylah Fernandez (Tennis) | $8.8 million

Similar to Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez continues to reap the rewards of her notable run to the 2021 US Open final. She maintains partnerships with more than 10 endorsement partners like Lululemon, Morgan Stanley, and Google Pixel phones. However, akin to Raducanu, Fernandez has encountered challenges in meeting the expectations set by her early success on the court.

11. Nelly Korda (Golf) | $8.2 million

Nelly Korda failed to reach the winner's circle in 2023, but her sponsor portfolio was transformed in a boost her off-course earnings. The 2021 Women's PGA Championship winner added lucrative new deals with Nike and TaylorMade, replacing J Lindeberg and Titleist to start the year, as well as another pair of global brands, Delta Airlines and Goldman Sachs.

11. Megan Rapinoe (Football) | $8.2 million

Megan Rapinoe did not get the storybook ending to her career as she was injured early in the NWSL Championship game, and her OL Reign fell to Gotham FC. Retirement will free up time for Rapinoe, who is a sought-after corporate speaker and last year launched a production company, A Touch More, along with her partner, WNBA legend Sue Bird.

13. Candace Parker (Basketball) | $8.1 million

Candace Parker captured the 2021 WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky and won another title (while injured) with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. But with league salaries capped at around $200,000, she makes nearly all of her money from endorsements. Her brand partners include Adidas, CarMax and Gatorade and her annual off-the-court pay is more than double her total playing salary across her 15 years in the WNBA.

Candace was the first woman to appear on the cover of an "NBA 2K" video game and was among the star athletes to invest in trading-card exchange Alt in a funding round announced in November 2021. She also has a lucrative contract as an NBA analyst for Turner Sports.

14. Alex Morgan (Football) | $7.8 million

The US Women's National Team flamed out early at the 2023 World Cup, but Alex Morgan remains the sport's most popular choice for marketers. She has endorsement deals with Nike, Calvin Klein, Molecule, Hublot, Bodyarmor and Michelob Ultra. In 2021, she founded a female-focused media platform, Togethxr, with fellow star athletes Sue Bird, Chloe Kim and Simone Manuel. This year, she launched her own foundation. Her latest is an investment in Los Angeles Golf Club, a franchise in the Monday night golf league TGL set to launch in 2025.

15. Qinwen Zheng (Tennis) | $7.2 million

Qinwen Zheng won the WTA's Most Improved Player Award in 2023, an impressive follow-up to her 2022 Newcomer of the Year Award. She won singles titles in Palermo and Zhengzhou in 2023 and reached the US Open quarterfinals. Some in the sport wonder if she could be a marketing star along the lines of her countrywoman Li Na, who finished no lower than third in the female athletes earnings ranking from 2012 to 2014.

16. Simone Biles (Gymnastics) | $7.1 million

Simone Biles returned to competition in 2023 and was as dominant as ever. She clinched four gold medals at the World Championships, extending her record to 30 total career medals at the event, including 23 golds. She led the US to a record-breaking seventh consecutive world team title. In 2021, Biles left Nike to join Athleta, and this year, the brand released their third Athleta Girl Collection with Biles, which is entitled "Because I Can."

16. PV Sindhu (Badminton) | $7.1 million

India's PV Sindhu has made it into the list of top highest-paid female athletes by Forbes where she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings. She is her country's sole representative on the list. Sindhu earned around seven million USD in off-field partnerships, having secured deals with Centuary Mattress and American Pistachio Growers in the past year.

Sindhu is already among India's most marketable athletes, with her sponsors ranging from Asian Paints to Bank of Baroda. Compared to her off-field marketing prowess, Sindhu earned just 0.1 million USD in on-field prize money, underlining her barren year and Badminton's financial disparity to other, more global sports. 

Also Read: PV Sindhu announces legendary Prakash Padukone as her mentor in quest of Olympic gold

18. Ons Jabeur (Tennis) | $5.7 million

Ons Jabeur reached her second straight Wimbledon final in 2023 and finished the season ranked sixth in the world. The Tunisian-born tennis ace was the first African and Arab woman to contest a major singles final. She has endorsements with Lotto, Wilson and Laval, and will collect an appearance fee in Saudi Arabia at the end of December.

19. Brooke Henderson (Golf) | $5.4 million

Henderson, a winner of two major golf championships, is arguably the most prominent female athlete in Canada. In January, she followed in the footsteps of Nelly Korda and transitioned to using TaylorMade equipment.

20. Markéta Vondroušová (Tennis) | $5.2 million

Markéta Vondroušová close the list of the top 20 highest-paid female athletes. At the time, Vondroušová, who was ranked 42nd, made history by becoming the first unseeded woman to clinch the Wimbledon singles title in July. It was an unexpected victory for her, as evidenced by her last-minute arrangement for a cat sitter.

Following her triumphant performance at the tournament, the 24-year-old tennis star from the Czech Republic secured a new clothing sponsorship deal with J.Lindeberg. She ended the year on a high note, ranking seventh in the women's singles rankings.