Carlos Alcaraz beat Tallon Grixpur 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 on Monday to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells as he and women’s top seed Inga Swiatek passed a tough test in the California desert .
Alcaraz, 19, had a testing time against his determined Dutch foe, winning their only prior hard court meeting.
He did not face a break point in the first set and was unable to convert either of them.
A strong start in the tiebreaker proved the difference, with Alcaraz locking up the set with a forehand winner on his second set point.
He broke Grikspur’s serve in the second game and took a 3-0 lead in the second set.
“It’s been a really tough match,” Alcaraz said of his 100th ATP Tour match win. “Talon is playing great, I really had to concentrate. Of course it’s hard to play with a lot of wind like today.
“I had chances at the beginning of the first set, I didn’t capitalize on them.
“The second set, I took advantage of my chances that I had at the beginning and thanks to that I was able to play more comfortably.”
Alcaraz faced Britain’s Jack Draper after Draper beat former world number one Andy Murray 7–6 (8/6), 6–2 to make the quarterfinals.
Swiatek, the women’s world number one, was seeking to become the first woman to win back-to-back titles at a combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 event since Martina Navratilova in 1990 and ’91, when she was beaten 6–3 in her Had to level the game, defeating Canada’s Bianca Andreescu 7–6 (7/1).
Andreescu, whose 2019 Indian Wells title proved to be the springboard for a breakout season that also included a US Open crown, powered Swiatek through baseline rallies, serving in the second set with the reigning French and US Open champion traded six breaks of K, only to prevail. tie breaker.
Swiatek said, “Bianca can change rhythm very well on this surface, it can be tough, but she was glad I got a chance to play under a bit more pressure and see how I’m going to cope.” He.”
Swiatek next faces another former US Open champion in Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who pulled off a stunning 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 win over Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Raducanu, who has battled wrist discomfort and tonsillitis in recent weeks, recorded her best ranking win since capturing the US Open two years ago.
Defending Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan advanced to the fourth round with a 6-3, 7-5 win over former champion Paula Badosa of Spain.
World number 10 Kabina Rybakina had lost her last three matches against her doubles partner Badosa this week after finishing runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open in January.
Fourth seed Tunisian Ons Jaber, playing her first tournament after being ruled out of Doha and Dubai following knee surgery, was beaten 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 by Czech Marka Vondrousova – the same woman who defeated Jaber. Was defeated in the second round of the Australian Open.
In another rematch of the Australian Open second round clash, fifth seed Caroline Garcia defeated Canadian Leyla Fernandez 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1.
– Fritz easily –
In other men’s matches, defending champion Taylor Fritz defeated Sebastian Baez of Argentina 6-1, 6-2.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, 37, beat 19-year-old seventh seed Holger Roon 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5.
A former world number three now ranked 100, Wawrinka avenged a first-round loss to the Dane at the Paris Masters in November, where Roon saved three match points to begin his run for a maiden Masters title.
The 35-year-old Murray, trying to make a comeback after hip replacement surgery, could not pull off a similar feat against his 21-year-old compatriot Draper.
Draper was leading 3–1 in the first set, but broke serve for the set at 5–4.
He had to save a set point with an ace but was never behind in a tiebreaker. Draper won the last four games to earn his first meeting with his childhood hero.
Draper said, “I’ve seen Andy since I was very young.” “I saw him win Wimbledon for the first time in 2013 … He is a really special person, a great champion, a great human being and I am privileged to have played against him on this court.”
BB/RCW
