The Indian Wells Masters saw plenty of high drama on Saturday when defending champion Carlos Alcaraz moved into the third round with ease while Novak Djokovic crashed out and Coco Gauff made a real fight of things as Aryna Sabalenka hit a new stride after a worrying spell.
Alcaraz Kicks Off Title Defense in Style
The two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz began his Indian Wells title defense with an easy 6-4, 6-2 win against France’s Quentin Halys. The Spaniard, pursuing to become the third man to lift the trophy at Indian Wells in three successive years, joining Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, was dominant.
After an early break gave him the first set, Alcaraz roared to a 4-0 lead in the second with a strong service game. He hit seven aces and saved the only break point he faced, closing out the match in only 67 minutes.
The Spaniard has already been in magnificent form since his exit from the Australian Open quarter-finals, winning the Rotterdam Open. Now the No. 3 seed, he is also the highest-seeded player remaining in the draw following top-seeded Jannik Sinner’s doping suspension and Alexander Zverev’s loss in the first round. He will play Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the third round.
Djokovic Falls to Shocking Upset
The five-time champion Novak Djokovic endured a shock second-round exit, falling 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to the Dutch lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp. The world No. 1 was also plagued by unforced errors, racking up 37 in all.
Djokovic’s form, despite a strong second set in which he broke early and drew level, utterly collapsed in the decider. Van de Zandschulp seized full command, breaking for 3-1 and winning the last five games to lift him to his first-ever victory against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Djokovic, who was hoping for his first Indian Wells title since 2016, was trying to get some insights from Andy Murray, a former rival, to help him in his quest. But his early exit mirrored last year’s third-round defeat to another lucky loser, Luca Nardi.
Gauff Wages Gritty Match for Win Over Uchijima
World No. 3 Coco Gauff had to work for her first victory since the Australian Open, defeating Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7). The 2023 US Open champion battled with 21 double faults but showed the resilience to grind out the victory after almost three hours on court.
Gauff had appeared on course for an easy win as she led 4-0 in the third set before Uchijima, after receiving medical attention, stormed back to force a tiebreak. The American finally converted her fifth match point to set up a third-round clash with Maria Sakkari, who dumped her out in last year’s semi-finals.
Sabalenka Advances, Seeking Redemption
The world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cast aside the memory of her Australian Open heartbreak with a commanding second-round victory over McCartney Kessler. The Belarusian, who emotionally lost the Melbourne final to Madison Keys, said she had battled to recover but now feels mentally reinvigorated.
Sabalenka, who didn’t face a break point against Kessler, next faces Lucia Bronzetti, and she’s keen to go one better than the 2023 runner-up run to Indian Wells.
