Polish world number two Iga Swiatek beat Maria Sakkari in last year’s final, picking up her eighth title at the WTA 1000 level.

The 23-year-old is yet to win a title on the WTA Tour this year, however, narrowly coming up short in Doha and Dubai recently.

Aryna Sabalenka reached the final of the Australian Open earlier this year but has struggled for form since, winning just one of her three matches in the Middle East.

The pair will enter the tournament as the top two seeds and have recently been handed a boost to their title hopes, as a former champion was forced to withdraw ahead of the event with an injury.

Paula Badosa says she is ‘very sorry’ after withdrawing from Indian Wells with a back injury

World number ten, Paula Badosa has withdrawn ahead of her opening match in Indian Wells as she continues her recovery from a back injury.

In a statement released by the official Indian Wells X account, the Spanish star can be seen apologizing for her withdrawal.

“I’m very sorry to withdraw from one of my favorite tournaments,” she said.

“I tried until the last moment to play.

“I am really sad and hopefully will be back next year.”

Badosa had withdrawn from an exhibition event earlier this week in California, as she struggles with an injury she picked up at a WTA event in Merida recently.

Having won the first set of her quarter-final match, 6-1, against Australia’s Daria Saville, Badosa’s movement became restricted in the second, retiring at 6-1, 3-5.

She will be disappointed to have encountered such a setback having enjoyed a strong start to her 2025 campaign.

Badosa reached the last four of the Australian Open, qualifying for a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time in her career.

There, she fell to defeat against one of her closest friends, as Sabalenka beat Badosa to advance to the final in Melbourne.

The Spaniard will be even more frustrated not to compete in California, after enjoying real success at the event over recent years, including a maiden WTA 1000 title in 2021.

Paula Badosa’s 2021 Indian Wells title-winning campaign

Badosa had only competed in five previous WTA 1000 events when she traveled to the United States in 2021.

• 2015 Miami Open – Lost in 3R
• 2015 Madrid Open – Lost in 1R
• 2016 Miami Open – Lost in 1R
• 2016 Madrid Open – Lost in 1R
• 2017 Miami Open – Lost in 1R

She quickly added to her two victories at the level in California four years ago, as she produced several excellent performances on her way to the title.

The 27-year-old battled past several future and former Grand Slam champions on her way to the final, dominating Major winners Angelique Kerber, Barbora Krejcikova, and Coco Gauff in straight sets.

She faced her toughest test in the final, as she faced off against two-time champion Victoria Azarenka.

After winning the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6, (7-5), Badosa struggled in the second, as her Belarussian opponent comfortably leveled proceedings at 7-6, 2-6.

Taking things to another level in the third, the Spaniard won in a deciding tiebreaker to clinch just her second career title.

Missing this year’s event through injury, Badosa won’t be able to add another Indian Wells trophy to her collection in 2025.

Her loss is Eva Lys’ gain, however, as the German qualifier takes her place in the draw as a Lucky Loser, and will take on America’s Caroline Dolehide in the second round on Friday, March 2.