Sabalenka escapes Stearns to reach Indian Wells third round

Aryna Sabalenka managed to fend off four match points in the third set and then had to rely on four match points of her own in the deciding set tiebreak to secure a 6-7(2), 6-2, 7-6(6) victory over American Peyton Stearns in a thrilling second-round match at Indian Wells on Saturday.

Stearns was on the verge of securing the most significant victory of her career when she held a 5-4, 40-0 lead in the third set against the reigning two-time Australian Open champion. The atmosphere in the Stadium Court was electric, with the majority of the 16,000 fans rallying behind her.

However, the world number two displayed incredible resilience, delivering some gutsy returns to stay in the match. Despite appearing to injure her ankle towards the end of the final set, she remained aggressive in the tiebreak and ultimately secured a third-round encounter with Emma Raducanu.

Sabalenka, in awe of Stearns' performance, acknowledged her opponent's exceptional skills, stating, "Wow, she's an unbelievable player and she played crazy tennis."

"At the net, she told me, 'I had you,' and she's absolutely right. I was perhaps a bit fortunate to come out with the win. I'm extremely happy to have overcome this challenging match."

In an earlier match, Coco Gauff faced a 5-2 deficit in the third set against unseeded Frenchwoman Clara Burel. However, Gauff fought back valiantly and secured a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory to advance to the third round.

Initially, Gauff struggled with her performance, committing numerous errors and double faulting on crucial break points in a lackluster first set that Burel claimed with an unreturnable serve.

However, Gauff improved her serving in the second set and adopted a more aggressive approach, stepping into the court to take control of the rallies. Utilizing her speed, she swiftly reached a drop shot and leveled the match at one set apiece.

Burel stormed ahead with a 4-0 lead in the third set. Yet, when serving for the match at 5-3, the 44th-ranked player succumbed to pressure, allowing Gauff to capitalize on her short balls and tentative serves.

Gauff maintained her dominance in the tiebreaker, securing the victory after a lengthy rally that ended with Burel's wide misfire, much to the delight of the spectators on the center court.

"I am pleased with the mental battle," Gauff expressed. "Although it wasn't my finest tennis, it's not just about performing well on good days; it's about how you show up on the challenging ones, and I am content with my performance today."

In the upcoming match, Gauff will face Lucia Bronzetti, who defeated Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 6-4.

Unfortunately, Gauff's doubles partner and fifth seed, Jessica Pegula, was unable to mount a comeback against Anna Blinkova, losing 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Pegula had previously defeated Blinkova in three sets at the San Diego Open last week, but this time, the Russian player returned the favor with exceptional serving.

Former U.S. Open champion Raducanu progressed to the third round after Dayana Yastremska retired due to an injury while trailing 4-0 in the first set.

As they bid farewell on the court, the pair exchanged a hug, and the British wildcard applauded the 30th-seeded Ukrainian.

Wimbledon champion and seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova withdrew from the tournament on Saturday, citing personal reasons, allowing Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk to advance to the fourth round.

Naomi Osaka, the 2018 champion, continued to build positive momentum as she defeated 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova 7-5, 6-3 with her powerful ground game.

Osaka, with a radiant smile, acknowledged the crowd following her victory. After taking a break for maternity leave and returning in January, the Japanese athlete is set to compete against 24th seed Elise Mertens in the upcoming third round.

Ninth seed Maria Sakkari, 11th seed Daria Kasatkina, 16th seed Elina Svitolina, and American Sloane Stephens were also successful in progressing to the third round on Saturday.