Number 10 seed and 2019 finalist Angelique Kerber reached the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells with a 6-4 6-1 win over Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
The German player beat Katerina Siniakova and Daria Kasatkina in two tough three-set matches to qualify for the third round at this year’s edition of the Indian Wells tournament. Tomljanovic scored her first top 10 win of the season beating Garbine Muguruza before defeating number 26 seed Tamara Zidansek.
Kerber opened up a 5-1 lead with two breaks in the third and fifth games. Tomljanovic pulled one break back at love in the eighth game and saved a break point to claw his way back to 4-5. Kerber needed five break points to close out the first set 6-4. Kerber broke three times to cruise through to a 6-1 win in the second set without dropping her serve.
“It was a tough match actually. I played well in the first set. She came back. It was really a close first set at the end. The second set was really tough as well. Even the score was a little bit not like really close, but every single game was a tough battle. I was trying to be aggressive, take my chances. I am happy to be through and be in the next round here”, said Kerber.
Kerber will set up a quarter final against number 21 seed Paula Badosa from Spain, who upset this year’s Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejikova 6-1 7-5 in 85 minutes. Badosa has improved to 2-0 in her head-to-head matches against Krejcikova.
Badosa has scored her fourth top 10 win this year after beating world number 1 Ashleigh Barty in Charleston and Aryna Sabalenka.
Badosa earned an early break in the first game with a backhand winner down the line and closed out the opening set with a down the line backhand return.
The second set featured four break points in the first six games. Krejikova had to save a match point, as she was serving at 4-5, before holding serve to draw level to 5-5. Badosa broke at love in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead and closed out the match with a forehand passing winner.
Badosa beat Krejikova in the opening round at the Madrid Mutua Open last May en route to reaching the semifinal.
