Swiatek battles past Andreescu to set up Raducanu clash

AFP

Iga Swiatek overcame former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu 6-3 7-6(1) to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells on Monday and set up a meeting with Emma Raducanu.

Top seed Swiatek has been in superb form on hardcourts since the Australian Open, capturing the Doha title and reaching the final in Dubai, and the Polish player looked set for another comfortable win after cruising through the opening set.

The reigning US Open champion found herself in trouble at 2-4 in the next set but battled back to close out the match in the tiebreak.

"She (Andreescu) changed the rhythm pretty well and with this surface it can get tough," Swiatek said. "But I'm pretty happy I was solid most of the times, at least.

"And that I could be recomposed in the tiebreak because I really knew that I could get my focus up. I'm even glad that I got a chance to kind of play under pressure some more and see how I'm going to cope with it."

Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka will take on Dubai champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday after advancing to the fourth round when her Ukrainian opponent Lesia Tsurenko withdrew due to a panic attack.

Tsurenko said her panic attack was triggered following a conversation with WTA chief executive Steve Simon about tennis's response to Russia's invasion of her country.

MURRAY OUT

On the men's side of the draw, defending champion and fourth seed Taylor Fritz steamrolled into the fourth round with a 6-1 6-2 demolition of Sebastian Baez.

Fritz kept the 35th ranked Argentine under constant pressure throughout breaking him six times to set up a round of 16 meeting with Hungary's Marton Fucsovics.

Evergreen 37-year-old Swiss Stan Wawrinka advanced with an 6-2 6-7(5) 7-5 upset of seventh seeded young gun 19-year-old Holger Rune of Denmark.

While Fernandez headed to the exit there was one Canadian winner on Monday with eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime taming Argentine Francisco Cerundolo 7-5 6-4.

It was the end of the road for Andy Murray, who lost 7-6(6) 6-2 to fellow Briton Jack Draper.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz faces Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in a late match seeking his 100th Tour-level victory.

More from Sports

  • Kolkata cruises into IPL final

    Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders pummelled Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the qualifier to waltz into the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday.

  • England names provisional Euro 2024 squad

    Forward Marcus Rashford was the most high-profile omission as England manager Gareth Southgate named his provisional Euro 2024 squad on Tuesday while there was also no place for experienced midfielder Jordan Henderson.

  • Real Madrid and Germany midfielder Kroos to retire after Euro 2024

    Germany's Toni Kroos, 34, will retire after this year's European Championship, the Real Madrid midfielder announced on Tuesday, adding that next month's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund will be his last game for the Spanish club.

  • Salah hints he's staying at Liverpool

    Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has suggested he will stay at the Premier League club following the departure of manager Juergen Klopp, the Egypt international said late on Monday.

  • UAE Games for People of Determination begins

    The inaugural UAE Games for People of Determination begins today in Abu Dhabi with over 1,000 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, students of determination, unified partners, coaches, technical staff and supervisory teams participating in the event.