Impressive Wawrinka secures final spot
A maiden BNP Paribas Open final awaits for Stan Wawrinka after a clinical triumph over Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday.
Stan Wawrinka turned his first BNP Paribas Open singles semi-final appearance into a spot in the showpiece with a commanding straight-sets victory against Pablo Carreno Busta.
The Swiss was in fine form as he secured a 6-3 6-2 triumph at Indian Wells, which took the third seed a little over an hour to complete.
Carreno Busta, with just two ATP Tour titles to his name, showed some early promise against the three-time grand slam champion, but ultimately came up short in the searing California heat.
The Spaniard managed to keep his cool when facing a break point in the sixth game to draw level, but his powers of recovery failed him during his next service game.
Wawrinka produced winners off both wings en route to a break that he consolidated to claim a one-set advantage.
There was a steely response from Carreno Busta at the start of the second set as he held to love and got Wawrinka to 30-30 on the 2016 US Open champion's serve, but he could not make the pressure count.
A remarkable 10-minute game followed that featured five break points, Wawrinka seizing upon the last of them to forge a lead that he did not relinquish.
Wawrinka has appeared in the doubles final at the event, when he lost alongside Roger Federer in 2011, and he could meet his compatriot on Sunday if he overcomes Jack Sock in the second semi-final.