Two-time Australian Open Aryna Sabalenka beat 2021 US Open Emma Raducanu 6-3 7-5 after 95 minutes in their first head-to-head match to reach the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Sabalenka opened up a 5-2 lead in the first set, but Raducanu saved a set point to hold serve for 5-3. The British player earned four break points in the ninth game but Sabalenka saved them to hold serve at deuce in the ninth game.
Sabalenka broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Raducanu broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Sabalenka broke for the second time to take a 6-5 lead with a drop shot, but she faced three break points when she was serving for the set. Sabalenka saved them before closing out the win on her fourth match point after back-to-back forehand winners. Sabalenka saved nine of the ten break points she faced.
Sabalenka has improved her 2024 win-loss record to 13-2.
Sabalenka will face either Elina Svitolina or Emma Navarro.
Coco Gauff beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-2 7-6 (7-5) in her last singles match as a teenager two days before he 20th birthday.
Gauff saved each of the nine break points she faced in the first three service games.
“I don’t know. I am just happy to be alive. I am really happy to see 20”, said Gauff.
Gauff saved three break points in the third game of the first set. The US player saved break points in the fifth game before breaking back at love to take a 4-2 lead.
Gauff converted her fourth set point when Bronzetti hit her backhand into the net.
Gauff earned two break points, when Bronzetti was serving at 2-3 in the second set. The US Open champion converted her first break point when Bronzetti made a forehand error. Bronzetti earned her first break to pull back on serve in the next game to draw level to 4-4. The match was decided by the tie-break. Gauff hit a drop-shot to draw level to 5-5. Bronzetti hit a backhand into the net before Gauff sealed the tie-break with an unreturnable serve.
