Gauff and Keys lead American charge at Indian Wells

Americans Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton gave the home fans at Indian Wells plenty to cheer about on Monday, taming wind-whipped conditions in the California desert to reach the fourth round.

Third seed Gauff overcame late nerves to beat Greek Maria Sakkari 7-6(1) 6-2, getting over the finish line even as she produced six double faults in the final game before closing it out on her sixth match point with a forehand winner.

"Except the last game I thought I played a great match. Just trying to look at the positives," said Gauff, who had revenge on her mind after losing to Sakkari in the semi-final last year.

She will next play Swiss Belinda Bencic.

Australian Open champion Keys saved 12 of the 15 break points she faced to beat Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-7(8), 6-4, securing her 14th straight match victory.

The fifth seed, who lost to Mertens in their two previous meetings, fired five aces to set up a fourth-round meeting with the winner of a match between compatriot Emma Navarro and Croatian Donna Vekic.

The 2022 winner Fritz overcame a slow start to beat Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 4-6 6-3 6-1 and said he expects a tough fight against Briton Jack Draper, who dimmed the Americans' joy as he beat home hope Jenson Brooksby in straight sets.

Twenty-two-year-old Shelton got the crowd on their feet as he played with power and poise to defeat Karen Khachanov 6-3 7-5, after battling with blisters on his hand.

Down a break in the second set, Shelton won the final four games of the match and clinched it with one of eight aces and a mighty cheer. He will play compatriot Brandon Nakashima in the round of 16.

Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka used her mighty serve to wallop Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-1 6-2, bringing her best form to the California desert after suffering early exits at the Qatar Open and in Dubai.

It took little time for Sabalenka to adjust to the windy conditions, as she sprinted through the first set and quickly recovered after dropping her serve early in the second. She will play British lucky loser Sonay Kartal next.

Highlights for the evening programme include a clash between Canadian Denis Shapovalov and four-times major winner Carlos Alcaraz, while Italian sixth seed Jasmine Paolini plays Romanian Jaqueline Cristian.