The remaining eight third-round matches, all in the bottom half of the draw, are next on schedule at the BNP Paribas Open. Two-time Indian Wells champion Victoria Azarenka and US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez will take the court on Monday.
Victoria Azarenka [13] versus Elena Rybakina [17]
Victoria Azarenka faces Elena Rybakina to headline the bottom half of the third round. Remarkably, the two have never played against each other. Azarenka, a finalist at Indian Wells last year, is confident in her chance of success in the desert, but knows she will have to work for it.
The Belarusian will not rely on last year’s October tournament success as a barometer for her performance now. She told the media, “I feel like with the ball going through the air quite quick here versus the courts that are pretty slow and bouncy, I think it really is year to year of how well you adjust because you have to be patient with yourself here. Maybe there will be some unusual mistakes that don’t happen in different conditions.”
Leylah Fernandez [18] versus Shelby Rogers
US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez will face American Shelby Rogers in the third round. Although the Canadian is seeded here, she is not a clear favorite looking at their head-to-head. Of their four previous encounters, all since 2020, Rogers won three. Their most recent encounter was in the Round of 16 at the 2021 Indian Wells tournament, played in October. Rogers took the win 2-6 6-1 7-6(4).
Action starts at 11 a.m. local time.
