Andreescu beat Kerber to lift Indian Wells title

Indian Wells (US), March 18 (IANS) Young Canadian Bianca Andreescu was proclaimed champion at the Indian Wells Masters, after she overcame the German Angelique Kerber, who was eighth seeded, 6-4, 3-6 and 6-4 in two hours and 18 minutes.

It is the first time ever that a player who received a wildcard entry to the tournament leaves with the title, reports Efe news.

The two were playing each other for the first time on Sunday and Andreescu started well, creating four break chances in the very first game of the match, converting the last one for an early lead. Kerber then had to fight hernerves as well after giving up the first game with a double fault.

Andreescu never faced a break point in the opening set and did everything right to win it 6-4 in 40 minutes. Kerber, the reigning Wimbledon champion, fought back in the second set, more in control and setting the pace, taking advance of some unforced errors of her young opponent.

In the deciding set Kerber started with maintaining her momentum against an increasingly tired and error-prone Andreescu and achieving an 3-2 lead.

But the Canadian teenager, visibly exhausted, pulled through her weakness and started to blast some fiery forehands leaving the German disconcerted.

With 5-3 for Andreescu on the scoreboard, Kerber managed to save three match points and got a break against her rival whose endurance was plummeting, as evidenced by the cramps she suffered.

But the young woman's desire to win was greater than those annoyances and she launched more forehand winners to claim a fourth match point. She managed to claim the title when Kerber returned a backhand into the net, opening the doors wide open to a bright future for the Canadian.