The Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza was eliminated at her premiere in Indian Wells by the Australian Ajla Tomljanovic while the Russian Daniil Medvedev, the first seed in the men’s category, and the Argentine Diego Schwartzman solved their crosses.
The fall of Muguruza, number six in the world ranking, is a new surprise in the women’s branch of the tournament, in the WTA 1000 category, after the defeat on Friday of the young British Emma Raducanu, the new winner of the United States Open.
Tomljanovic, number 47 in the WTA ranking, beat the former world number one 6-3, 1-6 and 6-3 in one hour and 53 minutes of play.
Muguruza, with two Grand Slam titles on his record, arrived in Indian Wells (California) with the momentum of his victory on Sunday in the Chicago tournament, WTA 500 category.
Fifth seed in the draw, Muguruza was outmatched in the first set by Tomljanovic’s dynamic tennis but managed to rally quickly to take the second set with a resounding 6-1.
In the decisive round, the Caracas-born tennis player recovered from a 3-1 deficit but Tomljanovic again broke her serve to seal the unexpected victory.
With the early exits of Muguruza and Raducanu, who was eliminated by Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich (100th in the world rankings), the arc of candidates for the women’s trophy in Indian Wells opens even more.
The first seed of the tournament, Czech Karolina Pliskova, defeated Polish Magdalena Frech 7-5 6-2 on Saturday and Spanish Paula Badosa defeated Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska 6-4, 2-6 and 6-2.
– Medvedev exhibits himself to McDonald –
In the men’s division of Indian Wells, Masters 1000 category, Daniil Medvedev had a great debut when he defeated American Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets.
Medvedev, who won his first Grand Slam title at the last US Open, beat McDonald, number 57 in the ATP, 6-4, 6-2.
The Russian is the big favorite to lift his first Indian Wells trophy in the absence of world number one Novak Djokovic. His next rival will be Serbian Filip Krajinovic, world number 34.
In his turn, the Argentine Diego Schwartzman suffered to beat the American Maxime Cressy, who came from the previous phase.
Schwartzman, number 15 in the ATP ranking, beat Cressy, number 145, 6-2, 3-6 and 7-5.
Without displaying his best tennis, El Peque ‘made a show of mental strength in the third set, when he found himself behind 5-4 and had to lift two match points from Cressy.
In the next round, Schwartzman will face Britain’s Daniel Evans, number 22 in the ATP.
Also Argentine Guido Pella did not have the same fate as he succumbed 7-5 and 6-3 against Spanish Roberto Bautista.
In doubles, the Colombian pair formed by Juan Sebastián Cabal and Robert Farah was eliminated by the Mexican Santiago González and the Italian Simone Bolelli 2-6, 6-3 and 11-9. AFP (HN)
– Saturday’s results at the Indian Wells tournament:
Men – second round
Daniil Medvedev (RUS / N.1) defeated Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 6-4, 6-2
Filip Krajinovic (SRB / N.27) to Marcos Giron (USA) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL / N.23) defeated Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-4, 6-2
Reilly Opelka (USA / N.16) to Taro Daniel (JPN) 7-5, 6-3
Denis Shapovalov (CAN / N.9) to Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 3-0 and abandonment
Aslan Karatsev (RUS / N.19) defeated Salvatore Caruso (ITA) 6-0, 6-2
Frances Tiafoe (USA) bt Sebastian Korda (USA / N.32) 6-0, 6-4
Hubert Hurkacz (POL / N.8) defeated Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-1, 7-5
Andrey Rublev (RUS / N.4) bt Carlos Taberner (ESP) 6-3, 6-4
Tommy Paul (USA) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB / N.28) 6-2, 6-3
Cameron Norrie (GBR / N.21) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-4, 5-7, 6-0
Roberto Bautista (ESP / N.15) to Guido Pella (ARG) 7-5, 6-3
Diego Schwartzman (ARG / N.11) to Maxime Cressy (USA) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
Daniel Evans (GBR / N.18) bt Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Lloyd Harris (RSA / N.26) to Alejandro Davidovich (ESP) 6-3, 6-3
Casper Ruud (NOR / N.6) to Roberto Carballés (ESP) 6-1, 6-2
Women – Second round
Karolína Plíšková (CZE / N.1) defeated Magdalena Frech (POL) 7-5, 6-2
Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) bt Mayar Sherif (EGY) 6-3, 6-0
Anett Kontaveit (EST / N.18) to Martina Trevisan (ITA) 6-3, 5-2 and abandonment
Bianca Andreescu (CAN / N.16) to Alison Riske (USA) 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-2
Ons Jabeur (TUN / N.12) to Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3
Danielle Collins (USA / N.22) to Lauren Davis (USA) 6-1, 0-0 and abandonment
Anna Kalinskaya (RUS) bt Sara Sorribes (ESP / N.28) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Viktorija Golubic (SUI) to Maria Sakkari (GRE / N.6) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Barbora Krejcíková (CZE / N.3) to Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Amanda Anisimova (USA) to Camila Giorgi (ITA / N.30) 6-4, 6-1
Paula Badosa (ESP / N.21) to Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
Cori Gauff (USA / N.15) to Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-1
Angelique Kerber (GER / N.10) to Katerina Siniaková (CZE) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 7-5
Darya Kasatkina (RUS / N.20) to Astra Sharma (AUS) 3-4 and abandonment
Tamara Zidanšek (SLO / N.26) to Ana Konjuh (CRO) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) to Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP / N.5) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3