INDIAN WELLS: Reigning Grand Slam champions Aryna Sabalenkova and Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters on Monday with tough back-to-back wins. But former No. 1 and 2018 tournament winner Naomi Osaka did not join them, the Japanese being knocked out 7-5, 6-4 by Elise Mertens, who now takes on Gauff.
The Belgian saved three break points in the final game and advanced to her second match point, which marked Osaka’s mistake. Osaka, a four-time major winner, is returning to tennis this season after giving birth. Earlier, two-time Australian Open trophy holder Sabalenka defeated Emma Raducana 6-3, 7-5 but double-faulted on match point and needed three more winning chances before finally going through.
The 2023 No. 2 behind Elena Rybakina got a tougher than expected here from 2021 US Open champion Raducanu, who returned to tournament tennis this year after an eight-month layoff due to injury. Gauff, who won the US Open as a teenager last September, beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) as she wrapped up a tiebreak victory with minimal drama.
Sabalenka is playing just her second race since winning her second trophy at Melbourne Park; she has won 13 of 15 games this season. Raducanu, ranked 250th and playing as a wild card, was able to convert just one of her 10 break chances against the second seed. With the win in 97 minutes, Sabalenkova, who leads the WTA circuit, moved to 82 wins in Masters 1000 matches. “I was very happy to close this match in two sets; the last game was tight,” Sabalenka said.
“It was a key moment. If I had lost that match it would have given her a lot more belief and confidence emotionally – you never know going into a tiebreak, it’s 50/50.” “I didn’t want it to happen. That’s why I felt relieved after closing this match in two sets.” Gauff needed to fight to get past the 53rd Bronzetti, with the American eventually closing out the win in straight sets in the tiebreak.
The US Open champion, who turns 20 on Wednesday, won her sixth straight match against her Italian opponent. “She played really well,” the winner said of Bronzetti. “But I was a lot better than my last fight – I’m getting better with each one. In the men’s draw, seventh seed Holger Rune finally took the court after a first-round bye and a second-round bye against the injured Milos Raonic.
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The 20-year-old Dane reached the tournament by beating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), earning revenge for losing on grass last June at the Queen’s Club in London. “It feels great to finally start,” he said after reaching the fourth round here for the first time. “The wait is finally over, so I was looking forward to playing even though I got two extra training days.”
This month’s semi-finalist from Acapulco said he could have played better against Musetti. “I’m working on converting as many break points as possible. I could have done more at the start of the second set – but you learn from everything,” he said. “I’m happy to win in good form.”
Norwegian ninth seed Casper Ruud advanced past Arthur Fils of France 6-2, 6-4. French showstopper Gael Monfils ended the run of 2021 champion Cameron Norrie as the 36-year-old champion and the Brit served a massive 31 break points in a match Monfils won 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7). /5), 6-3. Tommy Paul took home a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dubai champion Ugo Humbert. He was joined by Taylor Fritz, 6-2, 6-2 over Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.
