Timea Bacsinszky overcame Eugenie Bouchard in three sets by 6-2 5-7 6-2 to reach the third round in Indian Wells after a hard-fought battle.
Bacsinszky broke on her fifth break point chance on the 22nd point as Bouchard made a forehand error in a very tight opening game. The Swiss player consolidated the break to 30 with a backhand lob. She got a double break as Bouchard made a double fault. Bacsinszky consolidated the second break to go up 4-0. Bouchard got her first game on the scoreboard with a hold to love for 1-4.
At 4-1 Bacsinszky faced the only break point of the first set at 30-40 but she forced the game to deuce with a backhand winner down the line and managed to hold her serve to take a 5-1 lead. Bouchard held for 2-5 but Bacsinszky hit a winner down the line to close out the first set by 6-2. Bacsinszky won 55 percent of her second serve points compared to Bouchard’s 22 percent.
On the second point of the second set Bacsinszky took a hard fall and needed a long medical timeout as she was trying to retrieve a ball on Bouchard’s serve. Bouchard held her serve in the first game. In the third game Bacsinszky did not convert a break point. Bouchard hit an overhead to take a 0-30 lead and broke serve to take a 3-1 lead with a backhand return winner. Bacsinszky broke straight back in the fifth game for 2-3 and consolidated the break in the next game to draw level to 3-3. Bouchard broke serve in the 8th game to take a 5-3 lead as Bacsinszky made two consecutive double faults (one on break point down) and missed a backhand. Bacsinszky broke straight back in the next game as Bouchard served for the second set. Bouchard clinched the second set after a tight 12th game as the Swiss player made a forehand error. Bouchard won 46 percent of her second serve points to Backsinszky’s 33 percent.
Bouchard went down an early break at the start of the third set. Bacsinszky consolidated the break and got another break in the fifth game to pull away to a 4-1 lead. Bouchard held her serve at 1-5 but Bacsinszky did not face any problems as she closed out the match in the next game to take the win in three sets by 6-2 5-7 6-2. Bacsinszky won 69 percent of her first serve points and 77 percent of her second serve points.
Bacsinszky will take on 18-year-old Daria Kasatkina in the fourth round. The young Russian fended off a match point to beat Monica Puig 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-2).
“I am really happy about the way I played in the first set. It was like the first set a little bit. I think Genie played really well, especially in the second set. She pushed me a lot to make errors”, said Bacsinszky.
Victoria Azarenka beats Zhang Shuai 6-4 6-3
Victoria Azarenka, winner at Indian Wells in 2012, held off this year’s Australian Open Zhang Shuai 6-4 6-3 to book her spot in the fourth round for the fifth time time in her career. In the first set the Chinese player broke back twice but Azarenka broke serve for the third time to clinch the first set by 6-4. Azarenka took an early break at the start of the second set broke again in the final game to book her spot in the fourth round. Azarenka hit 27 winners to Zhang’s 13 and made 23 unforced errors to Zhang’s 30.
“She is a tricky opponent. She is playing with so many confidence and so free, and it’s the first time we have played each other. I felt like I didn’t do enough on my service games and I had to step it up because she kept playing really aggressive and taking control. So I am happy I was able to put it in my hands”, said Azarenka.
Azarenka will face Sam Stosur who overcame Christina McHale 6-4 2-6 6-4.
