Iga Swiatek eyes Indian Wells Open record as she aims for unique hat-trick
The 2025 Indian Wells Open marks the 36th edition of the tournament on the WTA and Iga Swiatek has a chance to create a piece of history.
Since its inception in the late 80s, no woman has won the tournament three times and Swiatek – who won her maiden title at the WTA Tour 1000 event in 2022 before lifting a second trophy last year – will aim to become the first player to win a hat-trick of titles.
The 10 women to win the Indian Wells Open twice:
Martina Navratilova – 1990, 1991
The great Martina Navratilova didn’t feature in the inaugural event in 1989, with Manuela Maleeva winning that title. The Czechoslovakia-born American won on her debut in 1990, defeating Helena Sukova in three sets in the final.
She successfully defended her title the following year as she saw off the challenge of a young Monica Seles in the 1991 final.
Those were Navratilova’s only two appearances at the Indian Wells event as she didn’t feature in the tournament again after that.
Mary Joe Fernandez – 1993, 1995
Three-time Grand Slam runner-up Mary Joe Fernández was the top seed at the 1993 edition and she beat Lindsay Davenport, Helena Sukova and Amanda Coetzer en route to lifting her first title.
Two years later she defeated Natasha Zvereva in the final for a second title while her next best attempt in Indian Wells was a run to the semi-final in 1997.
Steffi Graf – 1994, 1996
Tennis great Steffi Graf made her debut at the event in 1994 – before it was upgraded to a Tier 1 tournament – and went all the way as she beat Iva Majoli in the semi-final and Coetzer in the final.
After skipping the 1995 tournament, the German legend was back the following year and defeated Conchita Martinez in two tie-breakers in the final.
She also didn’t defend her title in 1997, but returned in 1998 and lost in the semi-final while she finished runner-up to Serena Williams in 1999.
Lindsay Davenport – 1997, 2000
After several runs to the quarter-finals and semi-finals in her first four appearances, Lindsay Davenport reached her first final in Indian Wells in 1997 and ended up being the last woman standing, beating Irina Spirlea in the final.
She narrowly missed out on back-to-back titles as she lost the 1998 final against Martina Hingis, but she got her revenge in 2000 and she defeated the Swiss great in three sets.
Davenport was denied a hat-trick on three other occasions as she lost three consecutive finals against Belgians from 2003 to 2005 with Kim Clijsters beating her twice and Justine Henin once.
Serena Williams – 1999, 2001
After denying the legendary Graf in third Indian Wells title with a 6–3, 3–6, 7–5 victory in the 1999 final on her main draw debut, Serena Williams won a second title two years later.
She reached the quarter-final in 2000 and then defeated Kim Clisters 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 in the final the following year.
That infamous match against Clisters marked the start of the Williams sisters’ boycott of the tournament as Venus and Serena, along with their father Richard, were booed and jeered by fans as they believed the family had predetermined who would win the semi-final between the two sisters.
Serena only returned in 2015, reaching the semi-final while she finished runner-up in 2016.
Kim Clijsters – 2003, 2005
There was a hat-trick of Belgian winners from 2003 to 2005, but Clijsters won only two of those titles.
After losing the 2001 final against Serena Williams, the Belgian beat Davenport in the 2003 and 2005 finals.
Both her title defences were non-events as she withdrew from the third round in 2004 due to injury, while she didn’t participate in 2006.
Daniela Hantuchova – 2002, 2007
Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova beat Justine Henin in the fourth round and Hingis in the final to win the 2002 title.
That was followed by a couple of early exits and she would only return to the final in 2007, this time getting the better of Francisca Schiavone, Hingis, Li Na and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
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Maria Sharapova – 2006, 2013
Maria Sharapova’s two titles in Indian Wells were separated by seven years.
Seeded third in 2006, the Russian beat Hingis in straight sets in the semi-final and also required only two sets to get the better of compatriot Elena Dementieva in the final.
She then reached the 2012 final, but was beaten by Victoria Azarenka, before winning the title the following year without dropping a set, this time getting the better of Caroline Wozniacki in the showpiece match.
Victoria Azarenka – 2012, 2016
World No 1 Victoria Azarenka was the top seed in 2012 and she beat some impressive players, including Kuznetsova, Angelique Kerber, Agnieszka Radwańska en route to the final, before getting the better of Sharapova.
Four years later, she claimed a 6-4, 6-4 win over Serena Williams in the final for her second trophy in Indian Wells.
Iga Swiatek – 2022, 2024
Playing in the Indian Wells main draw for the second time in her career, Iga Swiatek was seeded third at the 2022 edition.
She beat 2015 champion Simona Halep in the semi-final before easing to a 6–4, 6–1 win over Maria Sakkari in the final.
Her title defence was ended by Elena Rybakina in the semi-final in the following year, but she was back in the final in 2024, again beating Sakkari in the showpiece match.
