Return Winners: the 2018 WTA Indian Wells final

Naomi Osaka and Daria Kasatkina met in the final of the 2018 Indian Wells tournament.

Crowned the WTA Newcomer of the Year at the end of 2016, Naomi Osaka maintained a steady spot in the rankings the following year, but didn’t continue to build upon her breakout campaign.

Bringing in a new team for 2018, the 20-year-old posted her best result at a Grand Slam by reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open. She had a couple of solid showings in her next two events in the Middle East before heading to the U.S. for the Premier Mandatory tournament in Indian Wells, Calif. Unseeded, she beat former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova in the first round, then kept winning on her way to her second career final, beating Karolina Pliskova and top-ranked Simona Halep in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

In the championship match, she’d face another 20-year-old making waves: Daria Kasatkina. The 20th seed, who won her first career title in Charleston on clay in 2017, defeated three former world No. 1s—Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Venus Williams—along the way.

With each of them contesting the most prestigious final of their young careers, it stands to reason that nerves would be felt at the beginning by both players. Serving first, Osaka quickly went down 0-40 and was promptly broken, but Kasatkina wasn’t able to consolidate that early advantage and was broken right back. They remained on even ground for a few more games before Osaka gained another break, and while serving at 5-3, the world No. 44 struck a backhand winner to clinch the opener.

In the second set, Osaka got off to a perfect start, breaking Kasatkina in the first game. With her serve firing, she was able to keep Kasatkina from getting the set back on equal terms, and added another break in the fifth game. Serving up 5-2, 40-15, Osaka slammed down another serve, which forced a short reply from her opponent and led to her striking a swinging backhand volley winner to clinch the point—and her first-ever title at any level.

1

This marked the first time Osaka advanced past the third round at a Premier Mandatory event.

3

Kasatkina lost her third straight final, after a Kremlin Cup championship appearance the prior year and a runner-up showing in Dubai the month before Indian Wells.

2001

The last time two players under the age of 21 competed for the title was in 2001, when Serena Williams topped Kim Clijsters in the championship match.