INDIAN WELLS (USA) (ITALPRESS) – Carlos Alcaraz’s journey begins at the BNP Paribas Open, the first Masters 1000 of the season at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (a prize of $9,415,725). The Spanish outclass defeated the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov for the fifth time in seven direct comparisons in the ATP circuit, 6-2, 6-3. In the third round, number 1 of the world will face the French Arthur Rinderknech (28 ATP), advanced without playing for the Argentinean forfeit Juan Manuel Cerundolo (injury to the left leg). Novak Djokovic returns to win a game in Indian Wells, but the five-time champion and number 3 of the world has struggled even more than due, overcoming the Polish Kamil Majchrzak (n.57) with a score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. At 38 and 8 months, Djokovic won the 419th victory in the Masters 1000, and became the second oldest player to reach the third round in the Californian tournament. Between him and the qualifying for the eighths, the American Aleksandar Kovacevic (n.72) now stands. More complex the debut of Joao Fonseca. The Brazilian, accompanied by a football stadium fan, saved two matches points before completing the match against number 16 of the world, Karen Khachanov, defeated 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4. He signed his sixth victory against a Top 20 and became, at age 19, the second youngest player to reach the third round of Indian Wells in this decade, behind only Carlos Alcaraz who succeeded 18 in 2022. Outside Luciano Darderi, beaten at the debut for 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 by Australian RinkyHijikata, n.117 of the ranking, which in the first round had stopped Francesco Maestrelli (n.114 ATP), he also qualified. Among other major series heads, Alex De Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik and Daniil Medvedev advance. In the female field, winning debut but not without complications for Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek, the main favorite of the lower part of the board. In the match that opened the program on the Central the 27-year-old kazaka, n.3 of the ranking and seeding, was set for 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-2, after more than two hours and a quarter of struggle, on the American Hailey Baptiste, n.43 WTA. Swiatek, n.2 of the ranking and seeding, also made more effort than expected to beat 6-0, 7-6(2), in an hour and 38 minutes, the other American Kayla Day, n.187 WTA, coming from qualifying. The former number one in the world, which has committed 7 doubles, had to recover from 1-5 in the second part before winning rather clearly at the tie-break for 7 points to 2. Tonight at 9 pm Jasmine Paolini returns to the field, which will face for a place to the eighty finals Australian Alja Tomljanovic, n.85 WTA. The blue won in two sets the only previous with the 32-year-old of Croatian origins, in the second round of the Roland Garros 2025, on earth.
– photo Image –(ITALPRESS).
