The Hispanic-Venezuelan tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza fell surprisingly in the second round of Indian Wells when she lost to the American Sachia Vickery, 100th in the WTA ranking.
In his debut in the first Masters 1000 of the season, Muguruza, third world racket, won the first set 6-2 and got 3-0 in the second but, from then on, doubts entered him and ended up succumbing by 6 -2, 5-7 and 1-6 against the local, boosted by the public that packed the stands.
“I have made too many mistakes and she has benefited from it,” said Muguruza, who had not lost against such a highly ranked rival since Wimbledon 2016.
“I have worked so hard for so many years and I have always been so close … today is the most incredible day of my life,” said the American, visibly moved.
In the next phase, Vickery will face the Japanese Naomi Osaka, the revelation of what is going on in the championship by leaving out the Russian Maria Sharapova in the first round and the Polish Agnieszka Radwanska in the second.
In the morning, WTA number one Romanian Simona Halep also advanced by beating Czech Kristyna Pliskova in straight sets.
Halep, 26, edged her pair 6-4 double and will face local Caroline Dolehide in the next round.
I was ready to play. I was prepared to work and to fight. It was a good day, ”Halep said.
“It was not an easy match but I am really happy to have won my first match here and to have the chance to play again,” she added.
– Mayer’s Star –
In the men’s division, the Argentine Leonardo Mayer beat the Dominican Victor Estrella in three sets by 4-6, 6-4 and 6-1, in almost two hours on the court.
Mayer became strong with his serve by signing seven aces and sealing 78% of the points with his first serve.
Now a much tougher test awaits him: Japan’s Kei Nishikori, 22nd seed.
On Saturday, Indian Wells receives the heavyweights of the ATP circuit: the Swiss Roger Federer, the world’s first racket, will make his debut against the Albiceleste Federico Delbonis, one of the few rivals with whom he has a negative record.
And it is that in the only game they have played, the 20-time winner of a Grand Slam fell 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4). Although that meeting was played in Hamburg in 2013.
«You always have (things to prove). As much as I wanted to tell you ‘no matter how I play here’, I have not come here to lose in the first round, “the 36-year-old Swiss warned on Thursday.
–– Results of Friday’s day at the Indian Wells Masters 1000:
– WOMEN
Second round
Simona Halep (ROM x1) defeated Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-4, 6-4
Wang Qiang (CHN) bt Elise Mertens (BEL x22) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA x14) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS) 7-5, 7-5
Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x19) 6-4, 6-3
Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) to Johanna Konta (GBR x11) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Naomi Osaka (JPN) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x31) 6-3, 6-2
Coco Vandeweghe (USA x17) bt Kaia Kanepi (EST) 6-0, 7-6 (8/6)
Petra Kvitova (CZE x9) to Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
Petra Martic (CRO) bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE x25) 7-5, 6-4
Amanda Anisimova (USA) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x23) 6-4, 6-1
Zhang Shuai (CHN x32) to Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-2,6-3
Maria Sakkari (GRE) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS x16) 6-4, 6-2
Jelena Ostapenko (LET x6) to Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Caroline Dolehide (USA) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x30) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x5) to Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1
Sachia Vickery (USA) to Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP x3) 2-6, 7-5, 6-1.
– MENS
First round
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) defeated Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4)
Ernesto Escobedo (USA) to Frances Tiafoe (USA) 7-5, 6-3
Yuki Bhambri (IND) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 7-5, 6-3
Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) to Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5
Joao Sousa (POR) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)
Tennys Sandgren (USA) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 6-3, 2-1 retired
Taro Daniel (JPN) bn Cameron Norrie (GBR) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-3, 6-3
Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) to Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bv Viktor Troicki (SRB) 7-6 (7/3), 6-1
Alex de Minaur (AUS) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5)
Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) bt Bradley Klahn (USA) 6-4, 6-4
Leonardo Mayer (ARG) to Víctor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
Dudi Sela (ISR) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 6-4, 6-4
Tim Smyczek (USA) bt Laslo Djere (SRB) 6-3, 6-2
Mischa Zverev (GER) to Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. AFP