The round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells was set Monday as the third round drew to a close with few surprises. Gauff, Sabalenka, and Sakkari all advanced in two-set matches with just enough trouble to keep them on their toes but evading the tighter threats they faced in earlier matches.
Coco Gauff defeated Lucia Bronzetti 6-2 7-6(5). The American had rushed a quick first set before the Italian’s unique style began to slow her down, both physically and in the scoreline. The young star, playing her last tournament as a teenager later told the media, “She hits the ball really flat and low and doesn’t give you a lot of speed to generate so you have to do all the generating yourself, which is something you’re not used to a lot in the women’s game because a lot of the players are power players.”
In the second set tiebreak, coach Brad Gilbert repeatedly motioned with his hands for the third seed to calm down. Asked about it later, she said “Sometimes I feel like it’s more for him than me, because I wasn’t too stressed, honestly.”
Looking ahead to a round of 16 match with Belgian Elise Mertens, the world No.3 reflected, “I think almost every time I play her is a tough match. I don’t recall any straightforward wins playing against her. Even though the record is 3-0, it could easily have been the opposite. She’s tough. She has good strokes and she can hit the ball clean, she can serve well, she makes you earn the match.”
Gauff and Mertens will face off for a fourth time on Wednesday.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka eliminated wildcard Emma Raducanu 6-3 7-5. After a lopsided first set against her, the Brit regained her composure and broke early. Finally up 6-5 in the second set after a second break, the Australian Open champion saved three break points and won on her fourth match point. She later said, “The last game was a key moment. If I would lose that game, it would give her emotionally much more belief and confidence. Going to the tiebreak you never know, it’s 50/50. I didn’t want that to happen.”
Frustrated early in the second set, the Belarusian cursed audibly and received a warning from the chair umpire. Asked about it at the press, she explained that it was not directed at anyone. Explaining the situation in the press conference, she said the phrase in English, before breaking up in laughter and saying “Did I really just say that” and repeated it a second time. The twenty-five-year old shook her head laughing, repeated it a third time and buried her head in her hands saying, “Oh my God. I mean, someone has to be stupid. I take this role. I’m a Barbie.”
Maria Sakkari defeated Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-4. Going in, their head-to-head was even at 3. With so much experience and familiarity between the two, the Greek knew what she would have to do: “Serving was something very important today because she takes a lot of risk when she returns, and she also has a good serve.”
The French player’s aggressive style provides specific challenges that the ninth seed was ready to meet. She explained to the press later, “You have to buy into the fact that you have to make balls and you have to make it physical. That’s what I do when I play players like her.”
The world No.9 faces another French woman next, the No.61 Diane Parry. This will be their first meeting.
