Indian Wells Open: Pavlyuchenkova Upsets Haddad Maia to Reach 4th Round.
Indian Wells Open: The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells threw up a surprise on Sunday as No. 22 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia defeated No. 12 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil in a thrilling three-set encounter. The final score was 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, showcasing Pavlyuchenkova’s resilience after dropping the opening set.
Haddad Maia, known for her powerful groundstrokes, started strong, dominating the first set with her aggressive play. However, Pavlyuchenkova, a two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, refused to back down. She dug deep in the second set, finding her rhythm and showcasing her trademark defensive skills. Pavlyuchenkova’s ability to retrieve seemingly impossible shots frustrated Haddad Maia, who began to make unforced errors.
The momentum shifted completely in the final set. Pavlyuchenkova capitalized on her opponent’s dip in form, breaking serve twice to secure a hard-fought victory. This win marks a significant upset for Pavlyuchenkova, who is currently ranked one position below Haddad Maia at No. 24 in the world.
Pavlyuchenkova’s next challenge
With this win, Pavlyuchenkova advances to the fourth round, where she will face Ukrainian rising star Marta Kostyuk, who benefitted from a withdrawal by Marketa Vondrousova. This will be the first meeting between Pavlyuchenkova and the No. 31 seed Kostyuk.
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Other notable results from Indian Wells
- Iga Swiatek, the world No. 1, continued her dominant run with a straight-set victory over Linda Noskova.
- Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, will face Emma Raducanu in a highly anticipated fourth-round clash.
- There were also upsets for Coco Gauff and Madison Keys, who fell to Lucia Bronzetti and Yulia Putintseva, respectively.
The Indian Wells Open continues to be an exciting tournament with several top players still in contention. Pavlyuchenkova’s impressive win adds another layer of intrigue to the women’s singles competition.
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