Sunday at the 2017 BNP Paribas Open was all about tricky playing conditions as the highest temperatures of the week put the players stamina to the test. Especially affected were those playing the early day matches, when the desert sun was beating down on the Indian Wells Tennis Garden mercilessly.
Two players having to play in these conditions were Caroline Garcia and Johanna Konta. Garcia, who’s had a somewhat disappointing 2017 so far, including a split from long-term doubles partner Krisitina Mladenovic, clinched a major win after recovering from a lost first set to make the tournament’s fourth round.
Also through to the round of the last 16 is Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, following a straight set win over Barbora Strycova, while Karolina Pliskova beat Irina-Camelia Begu to get there.
While Pliskova and Pavluychenkova finished their respective matches with relative ease, Garbine Muguruza had to work hard against quickly-rising American Kayla Day. Day, 17 years of age and the youngest player in the WTA Top 200, had beaten Mirjana Lucic-Baroni to set up the clash with the reigning French Open champion inside Stadium 1 and the young talent was determined to make the most of her chance, taking the first set much to the crowd’s surprise. It took all the way until 4-4 in the second set for Muguruza’s vast experience to take the upper hand, allowing her to to finally gain control and put the gutsy youngster in her place.
Keep checking back for more from Indian Wells tomorrow as the tournament’s third-round will complete, featuring the highly entertaining encounter between Japanese rising star Naomi Osaka and American Madison Keys.
MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2017 BNP PARIBAS OPEN:
- Saturday: Madison Keys returns to the Tour
- Friday: Second-round drama
- Thursday: Completion of the first round
- Wednesday: First-round action begins in the desert
- Tuesday: Qualifying action completes, the main draw is set
- Monday: Qualifying kicks off
- Sunday: Warming up for the tournament
