American wild card Danielle Collins continues to impress in her breakthrough event while Caroline Wozniacki maintains hopes of regaining world No 1 ranking.
Tuesday 13 March 2018 16:35, UK
Angelique Kerber ended Elena Vesnina’s title defence in Indian Wells with a 7-5 6-2 success to reach the BNP Paribas fourth round.
The German 10th seed, who had lost her previous two meetings against Vesnina - including defeat in the California desert last year, gained a measure of revenge against the Russian.
Kerber, the former world No 1, has rediscovered some of her best form to rise up the standings this season and underlined her fighting qualities to save nine of the 13 break points she faced on serve in the one-hour and thirty-nine-minute encounter.
"It's a great feeling to win another match here at Indian Wells," said Kerber, whose previous best at the tournament came with a run to the semi-finals in 2012 and 2013.
"I think the match was a really high level from the both of us. The first set was extremely important. The second set was really close, it was 6-2 but every game was really close and every single point was really a fight."
Caroline Garcia, the seventh seed, proved too strong for Australian Daria Gavrilova 7-5 6-4 to book her spot in the last 16 and a meeting with Kerber.
Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki outlasted Aliaksandra Sasnovich in a lengthy three-set battle to maintain her hopes of securing a first Indian Wells title in seven years.
The reigning Australian Open champion was made to work hard for her progress to the fourth round but after being pushed into a deciding third set by the 23-year-old Belarussian, showed her resolve to battle through 6-4 2-6 6-3.
Wozniacki, world No 2, needed two hours and eighteen-minutes in her marathon win, which saw Sasnovich hit 14 double faults - the most in a match this year, and will next face 20th seed Daria Kasatkina.
"Winning the Australian Open and getting the No 1 ranking back at that point was extremely important to me and something that I'm very proud of," Wozniacki said.
"Right now, that No. 1 ranking isn't what's on the forefront of my mind. It's really just trying to win every match I'm playing and trying to win this tournament."
Kasatkina prevailed against reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-4 6-3 to secure her fourth victory over a top 20 opponent this season and now holds wins against all four current Grand Slam holders.
American wild card Danielle Collins, 24, continued her impressive showing on home soil with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Sofya Zhuk and will next meet either world No 4 Elina Svitolina or Carla Suarez Navarro in the last 16.
The world No 117 has already beaten compatriots Taylor Townsend and Madison Keys and is set to move inside the world's top 100 following her exploits so far.
You can watch continued coverage from the ATP Masters 1000 from Indian Wells on Sky Sports Arena and via the red button from 6pm on Tuesday. You can also watch it from 11.15pm on Sky Sports Main Event.
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