Swiatek Crushes Sakkari in Indian Wells 3rd Round

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek dominates Maria Sakkari in straight sets to advance at Indian Wells

Mar. 10, 2026 at 3:14am

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World No. 1 Iga Swiatek defeated Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-2 in the 3rd round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Swiatek, a two-time champion at this event, played a fantastic match to overpower Sakkari and improve her head-to-head record against the Greek player to 5-4.

Why it matters

Swiatek's victory over Sakkari continues her strong run of form as she seeks to defend her Indian Wells title. The win also extends her lead atop the WTA rankings and keeps her on track for another deep run at one of the biggest non-Grand Slam events on the calendar.

The details

Swiatek cruised through the match, winning in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. She played a dominant brand of tennis, breaking Sakkari's serve multiple times and controlling the rallies with her powerful groundstrokes. The win earned Swiatek $43,855 in prize money, bringing her total earnings for the tournament so far to $105,720. If she wins her next match, she will add another $87,925 to her prize money haul.

  • The match took place on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Indian Wells, California.

The players

Iga Swiatek

The current World No. 1 women's tennis player, Swiatek is a two-time champion of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Maria Sakkari

A top-10 player on the WTA Tour, Sakkari was defeated by Swiatek in their 9th career meeting, with the head-to-head now standing at 5-4 in Swiatek's favor.

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What they’re saying

“Iga was just too good today. She's playing at such a high level and I couldn't find a way to match her intensity.”

— Maria Sakkari

What’s next

Swiatek will face the winner of the match between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka in the 4th round of the BNP Paribas Open.

The takeaway

Iga Swiatek's dominant performance against Maria Sakkari underscores her status as the clear world No. 1 and the player to beat at the BNP Paribas Open. Her ability to overpower top opponents like Sakkari makes her the heavy favorite to defend her Indian Wells title.