Former champion Maria Sharapova has crashed out of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after suffering a 6-4, 6-4, loss to Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Sharapova, who won the Californian tournament in 2006 and 2013, was unable to to generate any consistency during what was a roller coaster encounter. Exchanging breaks during the first set, Sharapova faltered at the worst possible moment. Serving 4-5 down, a double fault following by a forehand unforced error rewarded her 20-year-old opponent the 6-4 lead.
It was a case of deja vu for the former world No.1 in the second set against Osaka. After four consecutive breaks of service, it was the Japanese player who prevailed in the tense encounter. Once again as Sharapova served to stay within contention, a double fault handed Osaka her first match point, which she converted thanks after a backhand error from the Russian.
“She’s a rising star,” Sharapova said of Osaka afterwards. “She’s been playing really good. She’s fast, aggressive, hits deep, big serve. You just have to get used to the pace and where it’s coming from. She goes for her shots.”
“Of course, I would have wanted to do well here — not just because I’ve won this event a couple of times, but because that’s the mentality that I have as a former champion, as someone who’s a competitor that wants to so well at the event,” she added.
This year was Sharapova’s first appearance in Indian Wells since 2015 after serving a 15-month doping ban. During her career, she has scored 38 wins in the tournament, which is the second highest among female players in the Open Era. Since her last appearance, the 30-year-old admits that the game has changed.
“Everyone’s working. I think maybe five, 10 years ago, you could get by with coming to a tournament and working your way into the first couple rounds,” she said. “That’s no longer the case.”
As a result of her latest loss, Sharapova has a win-loss record of 5-4 so far this season.
World No.44 Osaka, who will play Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round, has attributed her latest win to a change in her mental game. Leading into this year’s tournament, she reached the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
“I feel like I tried a lot to sort of change the way I think,” Osaka told reporters. “Before, if maybe she came back from that [deficit], I feel like I probably would have gotten really upset. I’m just really happy I was able to win and change the way my mentality works.”
Bencic through, Bouchard out
In other matches, Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic has managed to win only her second match on the tour this season. Facing Timea Babos, she battled to a 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) victory. Saving a match point on route.
“We were both very tired and it was so intense for us both,” Bencic said in her on-court interview. “We were both just fighting and leaving our hearts out there.”
Awaiting the world No.68 next will be French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
There was disappointment for Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard. Taking on American qualifier Sachia Vickery, she slumped to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat. Bouchard experienced problems behind her second serve as she got broken four consecutive times during one stage of the match.
“[Bouchard] is very tough, there’s no secret that’s why she’s been such a successful player,” said Vickery, who will take on Garbine Muguruza in the second round. “She always keeps you aware and she’s so aggressive and tough to play.
“I just tried to play smart and take my chances when I had the opportunity.”
Finally, 16-year-old Amanda Anisimova recorded her first main draw win on the WTA Tour. The current US Open junior champion, who is the youngest player in the draw, thrashed France’s Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 6-2.
