Tennis News

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – No.18 seed Karolina Pliskova needed less than an hour to take her place in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, producing a dominant display to swat aside former champion Ana Ivanovic.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

After an even start, Pliskova’s game clicked into gear in spectacular fashion, a sequence of 10 uninterrupted games helping her to a 6-2, 6-0 victory.

Ivanovic, who lifted the Indian Wells title eight years ago, came into the contest nursing a knee injury that hampered her movement throughout. A string of uncharacteristic errors saw her broken to love in the opening game and while she drew level soon after, it was clear that her game lacked its usual zip.

Pliskova, on the other hand, was having no difficulty getting the ball through the court, forging ahead and wrapping up the set with a fierce backhand drive. The winners continued to flow in the second, the Czech eventually finishing with 18 as she romped to the finishing line.

Pliskova had won all three of her previous encounters with Ivanovic, including earlier this year in Sydney. “We’ve played a few times already and I’ve always won. But I think I played really good tennis today and I’m happy that I made [the next round] so fast,” Pliskova said.

The one-sided scoreline was all the more surprising given the players’ respective form heading into the tournament; Ivanovic had made the semi and quarterfinals in St. Petersburg and Dubai, while Pliskova had suffered a couple of early exits in the Middle East.

“Last year I didn’t lose any first rounds. Now I’d lost twice in a row so I’m just happy to have some matches and looking forward to the next one,” Pliskova added.

That next outing will come against Johanna Konta, a 6-4, 6-1 winner over No.2 seed Angelique Kerber’s conqueror, Denisa Allertova.

Also emerging triumphant from Monday’s afternoon session were Roberta Vinci and Magdalena Rybarikova. Vinci continued her fine start to the year by outclassing Elina Svitolina, 6-1, 6-3, while Rybarikova caused the tournament’s latest shock, dumping out No.7 seed Belinda Bencic, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – 2015 French Open semifinalist played stupendous tennis in the final set of a tense match to defeat former World No.5 Eugenie Bouchard, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Indian Wells right here on wtatennis.com!

“I’m really happy about the way I played in the third set,” Bacsinszky told Andrew Krasny during the on-court interview, “it was like the first set a little bit.”

The first game foreshadowed the nearly two-and-half hour battle that was to come, as Bacsinszky broke on her fifth break point opportunity, and though the Canadian, who was looking to build on her tour-leading 15 WTA match wins, eventually steadied herself on serve, the Swiss star ultimately sealed the set.

Taking a nasty spill to start the second, Bacsinszky needed a lengthy medical timeout to address multiple cuts; Bouchard spent the time talking tactics with coach Thomas Högstedt and taking practice serves. The 2014 Wimbledon finalist broke serve for the first time soon after and went on to level the match with a second service break.

“I think Genie played really well, especially in the second; she pushed me a lot to make errors.”

Undaunted, Bacsinszky grabbed the initiative in the decider and never let go, relying on her laser sharp backhand and 31 winners overall – to only 25 from Bouchard – to serve out the win.

“I’m really glad I found a solution at the end.”

After the match, the former World No.10 thanked hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who was in the crowd during the match, for helping to inspire her to push through the pain.

“The Great One was watching here, and he knows how it feels to get hurt in a hockey match. I fell right in front of him so I thought, ‘It’s all right; I have to show him I don’t feel the pain.'”

In order to back up her 2015 run to the quarterfinals, Bacsinszky will need to beat Daria Kasatkina – one of three 18-year-olds currently in the Top 50 – who saved a match point to defeat Monica Puig, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2).

When you're comming from a Hockey Country ?? & you meet The Great Wayne Gretzky ??! @OfficialGretzky #ZKYnameEnding pic.twitter.com/DFDrnx38nB

— Timea Bacsinszky (@TimeaOfficial) March 13, 2016

Earlier in the day, No.9 seed Roberta Vinci rebounded from a thrilling second round win over Margarita Gasparyan – a match that needed a final set tie-break – to ease past BMW Malaysian Open champion and No.17 seed Elina Svitolina, 6-1, 6-3.

The 2015 US Open finalist burst out of the gate by winning the first four games, keeping her side of the stat sheet clean (20 winners to 11 unforced) while the Ukrainian youngster – who recently hired former No.1 Justine Henin as a coaching consultant – struggled with consistency, hitting 17 winners but 25 unforced errors.

“I played a great game today, so consistent, focused, aggressive,” Vinci said after the match, explaining, “Against her you have to play like this. She’s a great player, she has a good rally. But I think, well, I just played so good.”

The secret to her late-blooming success?

“I don’t have a secret. Just play and stay focused every single day. Stay calm in the court and outside the court, and just enjoy the life.”

Up next for Vinci is Magdalena Rybarikova, who outlasted No.7 seed Belinda Bencic, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

INDIAN WELLS, CA, USA – Victoria Azarenka clinches a berth in the second week of the BNP Paribas Open for the fifth time in her career, holding off a surging Zhang Shuai, 6-4, 6-3.

The Chinese wildcard is in the midst of a career-best season, having reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open as a qualifier, and upset former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki less than 48 hours ago to set up the meeting with Azarenka, the 2012 champion in Indian Wells.

“She’s a very tricky opponent,” Azarenka admitted to Andrew Krasny after the match. “She’s playing with so much confidence and so free, and it’s the first time we’ve played each other. So, at the beginning it’s always a moment of adaptation, and she returned really well.

“I felt like I didn’t do enough on my service games and I had to step it up because she kept playing really aggressive and taking control. So, I’m glad I was able to put it in my hands.”

Adapt Azarenka did as the math unfolded, striking 27 winners to 13 from Zhang, and keeping her error count low, as well – 23 to 30. Edging ahead by an early break in the second set, Azarenka showed off some impressive gets in the last game to break Zhang once more to earn the final spot in the round of 16.

“Last year, I was a little slow. This year is definitely a different year. I’m glad I keep improving my speed; it’s so important in today’s tennis to be prepared physically so I’m really working on that.

“I’m glad that all the work off court is paying off on court.”

Up next for the former No.1 is No.26 seed and 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur, who outlasted a fiesty Christina McHale, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

As night fell on Indian Wells, 18-year-old Daria Kasatkina emerged victorious after a titanic effort against Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig; the young Russian led 3-0 in the final set but had to turn things around in a hurry when she found herself down match point at 4-5.

Making her BNP Paribas Open debut, Kasatkina broke Puig in that all-important tenth game and despite missing out on two match points of her own at 6-5, she displayed impressive tenacity in the final set tie-break, setting up a fourth round encounter with Timea Bacsinszky with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2) victory.

“I’m a little bit tired, but I’m happy because, even though I didn’t play my best tennis over three sets, in the last three games I started to play better, so it means that I’m improving,” she said after the match.

“From the first practice, I feel like my spins are flying and the balls are good, so I like to play here because it’s a good surface for me.”

Top 10 Watch

Serena Williams will continue to extend her stay at No.1: The top seed at the BNP Paribas Open recovered from a slow start on Sunday, ultimately sprinting past Yulia Putintseva, 7-6(2), 6-0; Williams is defending semifinal points from last year, and is under no threat at the top spot ahead of the Miami Open, a tournament she has won eight times. 

Agniezka Radwanska has a chance to overtake Angelique Kerber: The reigning BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global champion can climb to No.2 in the Rankings – overtaking the Australian Open winner – if she is able to reach the semifinals. Radwanska will play Jelena Jankovic in the round of 16 (Radwanska leads 6-2) with a possible match against the winner of Petra Kvitova (Kvitova leads 6-3) vs. Nicole Gibbs (first meeting).

Garbiñe Muguruza will maintain her current ranking: Despite a disappointing finish at Indian Wells – losing her second round match to American Christina McHale – Muguruza will remain at No.4 behind some combination of Williams, Kerber, and Radwanska.

Simona Halep, the defending the champion: Halep has been playing some of her best tennis of the year at Indian Wells this week, but the defense of 1000 points prevents her from moving up this week, and will fall between No.5 and No.7, defending on her final finish; the Romanian is projected to play Williams in the quarterfinals should the former defeat Barbora Strycova and the latter move past Kateryna Bondarenko on Tuesday.

Elina Svitolina, Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic can move into the Top 10: Three women have the chance to crack the Top 10 on Monday, but only if they win the title at Indian Wells. For Svitolina, it would shatter her current career-high ranking of No.14 and be her Top 10 debut, while Azarenka and Ivanovic would be making their returns for the first time since August 2014 and September 2015, respectively.

Also Worth Noting…

Svitolina will need to reach the quarterfinals or better to have a chance to improve her ranking: The Ukrainian is set to play No.9 seed Roberta Vinci (tied 1-1) on Monday.

Jo Konta has a chance to move into the Top 25 on Monday: Depending on other results, the Australian Open semifinalist will likely need to reach the round of 16 at the very least; she plays Denisa Allertova in the third round on Monday. Konta would first British woman in Top 25 since the week of March 15, 1987, when Jo Durie held the No.24 ranking spot; the last time a Brit was ranked in the Top 20 was nearly 30 years ago (week of October 13, 1986; Jo Durie, No.20)

Olympic Hopes: Should she defeat Monica Puig on Monday, Daria Kasatkina will have a chance of making her Top 40 debut and will overtake Margarita Gasparyan as the No.5 ranked Russian.