Pliskova, Andreescu crash out of Indian Wells

WTA 2021 BNP-Paribas Open | Draw | Order of Play

Top seed Karolina Pliskova and defending champion Bianca Andreescu were both knocked out of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Monday.

Pliskova, currently ranked No 3 in the world, was defeated by lucky loser Beatriz Haddad Maia. The Brazilian, ranked 115th in the world, won 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and four minutes to move into the last 16. Haddad Maia had lost in the final round of qualifying at Indian Wells and only moved into the main draw when 29th seed Nadia Podoroska pulled out due to injury. She is the first lucky loser to make the fourth round at Indian Wells since Rachel Mcquillan in 2001.

This is the Brazilian’s biggest career win, going 0-4 against top 5 players before Monday, and only the second top 10 scalp of her career.

Kontaveit upsets defending champ Andreescu

Haddad Maia, playing her first WTA 1000 series event of the season, will next face 18th seed Anett Kontaveit. The Estonian continued her hot streak with a 7-6, 6-3 upset win over defending champion Bianca Andreescu, the No 16 seeed.

Konataveit has now won 15 of her last 16 matches on the tour and the win improves her record against Andreescu to 3-0.

The Estonian has been working with former ATP pro Dmitry Tursunov in recent weeks and that partnership is clearly reaping dividends with Kontaveit capturing titles in Cleveland and Ostrava recently.

“I’ve really been enjoying being out here, really enjoying playing competitive matches and I’ve been having a lot of fun,” Kontaveit said in her post match press conference. “I think that’s been the key, and of course, Dmitry has helped a lot, too.”

Kerber and Jabeur avoid the upset bug

In other third round matches on Wednesday, 10th seed Angelique Kerber, a finalist here in 2019, scored a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 win over Russian Daria Kasatkina. She will next meet Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, who scored a 6-4, 6-3 upset win over Tamara Zidansek.

12th seed Ons Jabeur also managed to avoid the upset bug with a 6-1, 6-3 win over American Danielle Collins. The Tunisian has now won 46 matches on the tour this year, more than any other player in 2021. She will next meet qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, who advanced to the last 16 after beating Viktorija Golubic 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

In a rain-interrupted evening match that was played in windy conditions, Spain’s Paula Badosa, seeded 21st, defeated Coco Gauff, seeded 15th, 6-2, 6-2. She meets French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, who scored a 6-2, 6-3 win over Amanda Anisimova.

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