Osaka wins 1st career title by routing Kasatkina at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) Naomi Osaka routed Daria Kasatkina of Russia 6-3, 6-2 to win the BNP Paribas Open in a matchup of 20-year-old rising stars and earn the first title of her career.
Osaka's win on Sunday capped a run that included victories over two-time winner Maria Sharapova, No. 5 Karolina Pliskova and top-ranked Simona Halep during the two-week tournament. The Japan-born Osaka will rise to a career-high No. 22 in Monday's WTA Tour rankings.
Osaka needed just 70 minutes to dispatch No. 19 Kasatkina, who had an equally impressive showing in the desert.
Among those the Russian beat was U.S. Open Sloane Stephens, No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki, No. 10 Angelique Kerber and No. 8 Venus Williams. Kasatkina will rise eight spots to No. 11 in the rankings.
Osaka earned $1,340,860 for the victory.
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