Daniela Hantuchova upset Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-4 for her second Pacific Life Open title on Saturday.
Hantuchova won in Indian Wells in 2002 at 18, then lost four finals on the WTA Tour until Saturday.
"There is something that is special about this place for me," Hantuchova said.
Meanwhile, in the men's semi-finals, Rafael Nadal outserved Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-3 to reach his first final since Wimbledon, and Novak Djokovic became the first teenage finalist in 17 years after the Serb beat another 19-year-old, Andy Murray 6-2, 6-3.
No. 18-ranked Hantuchova, who upset Martina Hingis in the championship match five years ago, this time used steady, accurate groundstrokes and timely net play for the victory over No. 4 Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion.
"I had exactly the same feeling I had against Martina in 2002," Hantuchova said. "I just knew that I was going to enjoy myself out there. I was just so confident from the first point, and I didn't even think about the score."
The Slovak broke to lead second-seeded Kuznetsova 2-0 but lost her serve and immediately earned back the break lead in the next game when the Russian hit a forehand wide.
She served out the first set and earned the first break point of the second with a running forehand crosscourt winner in the fifth game. Kuznetsova, who'd beaten Hantuchova in five of their previous eight matches, conceded the game with a netted shot.
When Kuznetsova hit the ball long on match point, her record in finals dropped to 8-9.
"I think all the best things in life are worth waiting for, moments like this," Hantuchova said. "I guess all the hard work and everything I had to go through makes the victory that much sweeter."
The second-ranked Nadal showed there was quite a gap between him and No. 3 Roddick, at least on this hot, still afternoon in the desert.
The Spaniard hit 33 winners, consistently claiming points by keeping the ball deep to Roddick's backhand for several exchanges, then driving forehand winners past the American.
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