Indian Wells 2022: Paula Badosa vs Maria Sakkari preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (5) Paula Badosa vs (6) Maria Sakkari.

Date: 18 March 2022.

Tournament: BNP Paribas Open.

Round: Semifinals.

Venue: Indian Wells, California, USA.

Category: WTA 1000.

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.

Match timing: Approx 8 pm local time/ 3 am GMT/ 11 pm EST/ 8.30 am IST.

Prize money: $8,369,455.

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video.

Paula Badosa vs Maria Sakkari preview

Defending champion Paula Badosa will lock horns with sixth seed Maria Sakkari in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Friday.

Badosa had a terrific start to the season, winning the title in Sydney. But after her fourth-round defeat at the Australian Open, the World No. 7 struggled to find form. In a disastrous Middle Eastern swing, she managed to win just one match and came to Indian Wells low on confidence.

However, having returned to the scene of her biggest triumph, the 24-year-old has rediscovered her touch once again. The Spaniard hasn't dropped a set so far in five matches, with one of her wins coming against Monterrey champion Leylah Fernandez.

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Badosa is now just two wins away from becoming the first woman since Martina Navratilova in 1991 to successfully defend her Indian Wells title.

Maria Sakkari serves at the BNP Paribas Open

Badosa's semi-final opponent, Maria Sakkari, has had a more consistent 2022 season than the Spaniard, although she hasn't tasted success.

The World No. 6 bounced back from a pre-quarterfinal defeat at the Australian Open to make it all the way to the final in St. Petersburg. The Greek backed up that scintillating run with semi-final appearances at the Qatar Open and now at Indian Wells.

Like Badosa, Sakkari, too, is yet to drop a set at Indian Wells, accounting for the likes of Petra Kvitova and Elena Rybakina.

Having bowed out in the semifinals of the last WTA 1000 event in Doha, Sakkari will be keen to make amends and go one better in the California desert.

Paula Badosa vs Maria Sakkari head-to-head

Badosa leads the head-to-head against Sakkari 1-0. The Spaniard came through 7-6 (4), 6-4 in their only clash in the 2021 WTA Finals.

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Paula Badosa vs Maria Sakkari prediction

Paula Badosa in action at the BNP Paribas Open

Although Sakkari has been more solid than Badosa of late, she doesn't have a good record in WTA 1000 semifinals. She has lost all four of her trips to the last-four stage at this level. Defending champion Badosa, on the other hand, knows the conditions well and also has the head-to-head advantage.

Badosa put up a good serving performance in her 6-3, 6-2 win over Veronika Kudermetova in the quarterfinals. She produced five aces and won 75% of her first-serve points, dominating the Russian with her aggressive forehand.

The Spaniard needs to keep that up against Sakkari and not give the Greek a chance to settle into the match. Sakkari is pretty vulnerable under pressure, which was evident in her 7-5, 6-4 win over Rybakina. The World No. 6 quickly found herself staring at a 1-4 deficit in the first set before coming back to win the match.

After her win, Sakkari admitted the need to calm her nerves and be mentally stronger in future matches.

One of the hardest hitters on the tour, Sakkari struggles to control her aggression at times and makes a flurry of errors when she faces heat from the other side. If she cannot keep the errors under control, Badosa could very well find herself in the Indian Wells final for the second consecutive year.

Prediction: Paula Badosa to win in three sets.

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