AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Top seeds were on high alert at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California on Friday, and not all of them survived the Round of 64.
no. 7 Karolina Pliskova and No. 8 Garbine Muguruza will not be moving on after losing to Danka Kovinic and Alison Riske, respectively. no. 3 Iga Swiatek survived a scare after losing her first set before bouncing back strong in a three-set win over Anhelina Kalinina.
no. 11 Emma Raducanu, the reigning US Open winner, needed three sets to beat Caroline Garcia. Meanwhile, Harriet Dart took down No. 12 Elina Svitolina in three sets.
The men’s side finished out the Round of 128, and Andy Murray’s three-set victory over Taro Daniel highlighted that action.
You can view some scores, quick recaps from a few matches and highlights below.
Round of 64: WTA
no. 3 Iga Swiatek def. Anhelina Kalinina: 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
Danka Kovinic def. no. 7 Karolina Pliskova: 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
Alison Riske def. no. 8 Garbine Muguruza: 0-6, 6-3, 6-1
no. 11 Emma Raducanu def. Caroline Garcia: 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
Harriet Dart def. no. 12 Elina Svitolina: 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
no. 16 Coco Gauff def. Claire Liu: 6-1, 7-6 (4)
Petra Matric def. no. 19 Tamara Zidasek: 7-5, 7-6 (6)
Kaia Kanepi def. no. 22 Belinda Bencic: 6-4, 6-3
no. 23 Daria Kasatkina def. Katie Volynets: 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
no. 24 Simona Halep def. Ekaterina Alexandrova: 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
no. 26 Sorana Cirtea def. Ajla Tomljanovic: 6-4, 7-5
no. 28 Ludmilla Samsonova def. Ann Li: 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Anna Kalinskaya def. no. 33 Alize Cornet: 6-4, 0-6, 6-2
Round of 128: ATP
Andy Murray def. Taro Daniel: 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
Tommy Paul def. Mikhail Kukushkin: 6-4, 6-4
Dominik Koepfer def. Benoit Paire: 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
Holger Rune def. Ugo Humbert: 6-3, 6-2
Sebastian Korda def. Thanasi Kokkinakis: 6-3, 6-4
Botic van de Zandschulp vs. Tennys Sandgren: 6-4, 6-2
Match Recaps and Highlights
no. 3 Iga Swiatek def. Anhelina Kalinina: 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
Swiatek wiped away a tough first set by winning 12 of her last 13 games against Anhelina Kalinina, who put forth a great effort in defeat.
wta †WTA
Three sets needed for the No.3 seed 💪@iga_swiatek secures the win over Kalinina, 5-7, 6- 0, 6-1.#IndianWells pic.twitter.com/XNUNwqnD8g
Swiatek took advantage of her opportunities, winning 9-of-15 break points.
Kalinina struggled with her serve, posting nine double faults. She only won 20-of-42 first serve points.
She did have her chances in the second set, though, earning five break points over Swiatek’s first two serves.
However, the no. 3 seed persevered and will play No. 29 Clara Tauson in the Round of 32.
Danka Kovinic def. no. 7 Karolina Pliskova: 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
Pliskova was up 6-2, 5-2 in this match, but Kovinic stormed back to win a three-set thriller.
Kovinic held serve twice around a break of Pliskova’s serve to tie the second set at five.
Kovinic and Pliskova then engaged in a 12-point battle that the underdog won after converting her third break point. Kovinic then held serve again to take the second set.
Pliskova lost her serve to start the third set, but Kovinic did the same with her first opportunity. Pliskova then lost her serve again, and Kovinic went up 2-1.
Kovinic soon lost her serve a second time, and Pliskova tied the game at three. But Pliskova lost her serve a third and final time in the final set while serving at 4-4, and Kovinic held serve in response.
BNP Paribas Open †BNPPARIBASOPEN
Seed slayer ⚔️@DankaKovinic upends No.7 seed Pliskova 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 to advance to a first career third round in the desert#IndianWells pic.twitter.com/WntLAPUisX
In fairness to Pliskova, she was playing her first match of 2022 because of a wrist/arm injury suffered in December.
Ben Rothenberg or Racquet had more:
Ben Rothenberg †BenRothenberg
#8 Karolina Pliskova played her first match of 2022 today, recovering from a wrist/arm injury she told me she suffered after falling while doing jumping exercises in the gym in December, catching herself with her hands but fracturing her right ulna. She heard the bone break.
Ben Rothenberg †BenRothenberg
“I’ve been feeling fine, so hopefully good tennis will arrive,” said Pliskova. She’s missing traveling with her sister, who is expecting in two months.
After a strong second half of 2022, Pliskova said her belief (and coach Sascha Bajin’s belief in her) remains high, as “always.”
Kovinic will now face No. 28 Liudmila Samsonova in the Round of 32.
Alison Riske def. no. 8 Garbine Muguruza: 0-6, 6-3, 6-1
Alison Riske made waves when she beat No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in the Round of 16 of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.
She’s turned heads again after taking down No. 8 Garbine Muguruza in the Round of 64 for her first top-10 win since 2019.
WTA Insider †WTA_insider
Alison Riske defeats No.9 Garbine Muguruza to earn her 1st Top 10 win since 2019 Wuhan (d. Kvitova, Svitolina).
Advances to her 1st #IndianWells 3R. Faces either Keys or Doi. https://t.co/0SU0T9zabe
Riske was down 0-6, 0-3 but stormed back to win all but one of the remaining games:
wta †WTA
Drops the first nine games, wins 12 of the next 13 🤪
🇺🇸 @Riske4rewards turns around a crazy match against Muguruza to advance to Round 3!#IndianWells pic.twitter.com/0wNSnkYQ8T
Riske spoke about her performance and what may lie ahead:
WTA Insider †WTA_insider
Riske: “I played this tournament so many times. Hopefully we’re not ending here, but my best result thus far is coming when I’m 31 years old. I’m very proud about that.
“I don’t think the best days are behind me either, which I think is really exciting.”#IndianWells pic.twitter.com/YMB6ordvIu
Riske will now advance to the Round of 32.
Andy Murray def. Taro Daniel: 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
Murray earned his 700th career win after beating Daniel in their fourth career head-to-head matchup.
ATP Tour †atptour
Big milestone for @andy_murray 🙌
Congratulations on 700 wins! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/3i2c1Ft4oU
Daniel dominated the first set 6-1, but it was all Murray from that point forward.
ATP Tour †atptour
Vintage Murray 🤩@andy_murray | @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #IndianWells pic.twitter.com/ryic2sJgcz
Murray and Daniel fought to the finish in the third set. Daniel broke Murray’s serve right away, but Murray later returned the favor to tie the game at three.
Murray was on the ropes when he served with the game tied at four down 30-40, but he scored three straight points to hold on.
Daniel then found himself with his back against the wall down 0-40 with Murray earning triple match point. Daniel staved off the first two, but Murray won the third to advance to face No. 31 Alexander Bublik.