Garcia shocks Gauff to reach Miami Open quarter-finals, Boulter knocked out

Caroline Garcia continued her good form as she shocked Coco Gauff 6-3 1-6 6-2 in the last 16 of the Miami Open on Monday.

Garcia had impressed in her previous match as she defeated Naomi Osaka, and continued that good form as she broke Gauff in the second game.

The American had beaten another French player, Oceane Dodin, in straight sets in her previous match.

The first set then went with serve as the French world No. 23 took the first set 6-3 against the current US Open champion.

Gauff was at her imperious best in the second set, as she raced 5-0 clear with two break points from two and after some brief resistance from Garcia, won 6-1 to set up a decisive third.

The match then swung back in Garcia’s favour as she broke, moving 3-1 clear and just needing to hold her serve to progress, and she moved 5-2 clear as she stayed in control, breaking Gauff once more to close out the match.

Elena Rybakina defeated home favourite Madison Keys in straight sets to reach the last eight.

She needed 84 minutes to down her US rival 6-3 7-5, her first match this tournament where she had not dropped a set, having previously beaten Clara Tauson and Taylor Townsend.

Her next match will be up against No. 8 seed Maria Sakkari, who enjoyed a walkover against Anna Kalinskaya after she suffered a thigh injury.

“I’m so sorry, I was really looking forward to playing today,” Kalinskaya confirmed in a statement. “But unfortunately, my health doesn’t allow me. Thank you for your support.”

Elsewhere, Yulia Putintseva defeated Anhelina Kalinina 6-4 7-6(5) and Victoria Azarenka beat Britain’s Katie Boulter 7-5 6-1 in their round-of-16 match.

Azarenka will play Putintseva in their quarter-finals on Tuesday.

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‘I want to catch them’ – How Sakkari is aiming to be ‘one of the best players again’

“I’m just very happy that I’m finding form again and finding myself again.”

Welcome back, Maria Sakkari.

“You never want to lose and leave the tournament as a loser,” said Sakkari. “But at the same time, there are so many good things that happened the last two weeks that I cannot just ignore. I think I’ll get this one day.”

Sakkari came into Indian Wells desperate for a positive run.

She had lost four of her last five matches before the tournament and a month earlier had split with coach Tom Hill after six years together. Stretching further back, Sakkari’s form had been patchy since the start of 2023.

She decided against that and a month later had the bright spot in her season with a title run in Guadalajara as she won her first WTA 1000 trophy. But Sakkari still finished the year with her lowest win rate (60 per cent) since 2019, when she was outside the top 20.

If it felt like Sakkari was falling away from those at the very top, she herself admits it felt like her career was stagnating.

“A little bit, I would say,” she said at Indian Wells last week. “Not blaming anyone, of course, blaming only myself. I just feel like just trying new things and trying to be better and improve. I really believe I have a good chance on just getting back to that level and giving myself the best chance to become, you know, one of the best players again.”

Sakkari’s move to try and freshen things up was to end things with Hill and hire David Witt, who recently split with Jessica Pegula.

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‘I wanted to feel like I was challenging myself’ – Pegula on changes to her team ahead of Miami

Witt was named WTA Coach of the Year in 2022 and helped Pegula reach No. 3 in the world and become a regular at the latter stages of Grand Slams.

“There are a couple of girls that have made an extra step in their careers, and I just want to try, and you know, catch them,” said Sakkari about the move. “By working with David, I think I can do that. I just feel like I have the athletic abilities…It’s just that I need to add a couple of things.”

Among the changes Sakkari is aiming to make with Witt is being more aggressive.

“Just being brave, basically. Not playing to lose; playing to win. It has really helped me this week.”

Indian Wells was Sakkari’s first tournament with Witt in her corner, which might have been a smart move given Sakkari’s liking for the conditions. She has now made two finals and one semi-final in the last three years at Indian Wells and has played some of her best tennis at the tournament.

The Miami Open has not been so favourable, with Sakkari not winning a match in her last two appearances. However, she did make the semis in 2021 and she will be hoping to continue her momentum from Indian Wells to make another positive impression.

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Swiatek downs Kostyuk in Indian Wells semi, Sakkari shocks Gauff to reach final

Iga Swiatek beat Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 on Friday to set up an Indian Wells final against Maria Sakkari, who shocked Coco Gauff in her semi-final.

Swiatek is yet to drop a set in the tournament as she looks to stretch her lead at the top of the world rankings, after Aryna Sabalenka was the subject of an upset in the third round earlier this week when she was knocked out by Emma Navarro.

The Pole broke her Ukrainian rival early on to go 2-1 clear, and a Kostyuk double fault two games later allowed for another break as she went a set up.

Swiatek then moved 3-0 clear in the second set as her opponent looked to be having a problem with her left foot, which required a medical timeout, and from there Swiatek was ruthless in wrapping up a routine victory.

“For sure I’m happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. It’s already a great tournament,” Swiatek said after the win.

Sakkari, meanwhile, defeated home favourite Gauff in a more balanced affair, as she won 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a match beset by rain delays, belying the tournament’s moniker as the first of the ‘Sunshine Swing’.

The Greek took the opening set and was 5-2 clear in the second but Gauff rallied hard and forced a tie-break which she then clinched.

Sakkari then re-grouped in the third to ultimately seal it with some comfort.

“I don’t want to disrespect Coco but it would’ve been amazing if this match was over an hour ago,” Sakkari said afterwards about the interruptions.

“Coco is such an amazing opponent. I’m just so happy I’m in the final once again here.”

Swiatek v Sakkari will be a re-run of the 2022 final, which the Pole won in straight sets.

For the world No. 1, it is a chance to win her second title of the season after securing the Qatar Open, while Sakkari – ranked No. 9 – has yet to lift a trophy in 2024.

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‘Be more relaxed and have fun’ – How the Witt-Sakkari partnership is taking off

Maria Sakkari’s new coach David Witt says he is trying to bring the “fun” back to the world No. 9’s tennis after seemingly making an instant impact.

The Greek player pounced on the American’s availability earlier this month after he split with Jessica Pegula and it seems to be working out so far, having reached the quarter-finals at Indian Wells.

Sakkari overcame a wobble against Diane Parry of France but eventually came through to win 6-2 3-6 6-3, setting up a tie with Aryna Sabalenka’s conqueror Emma Navarro.

The 28-year-old ended her working relationship with long-time coach Tom Hill in February but was quick to link up with Witt, who has also coached Venus Williams.

The Californian says he will not be making any big changes to Sakkari’s game, but thinks she needs to believe in her ability more if she’s to make the most of her potential.

“Little things that we’re talking about doing,” Witt told the WTA.

“Maybe some drills to help her be more aggressive at times, rather than passive. When you’re tentative I think you can make more mistakes. You know, playing not to lose, rather than to win.

“At this level, Top 10 players, you have to play to win. If you give them a ball that’s around the service line and they don’t step up and rip it, then they’re not doing the right thing.

“Last two matches, her staying positive, staying present helped her win those matches. I want to get her more relaxed and to have fun.

“Some days it works, some days it doesn’t. Being happy instead of stressed, I think, allows you to play your best tennis. So far, so good.”

Sakkari’s link-up with Witt has coincided with a return to a venue she has good memories of, having reached the final at Indian Wells two years ago.

It seems to have brought a freshness to her game and has already reaped rewards, having come from a break down in the third set of a match for the first time in her career during the win over Parry.

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‘No marriage for me, tennis right now’ – Gauff after reaching quarters at Indian Wells

“I just feel very relaxed with David,” Sakkari said on Monday.

“He’s very laid back. That’s something that really helps me, being a very stressful person. I think I haven’t really stressed for anything the last few days I have been with him.”

“I think he’s one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met in my life. I’m laughing all the time. I just really enjoy my time with him on and off the court. He’s a very nice guy, which is the most important thing, but he’s also an amazing coach.

“He keeps it very simple, and that’s what I like, because I don’t think I’m a player that you have to complicate things — I like the way it’s going. I hope he does, too.”

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10 questions for WTA top 10 at Indian Wells: Will Sabalenka be unstoppable?

The top stars from the ATP and WTA tours will battling it out at Indian Wells over the next fortnight.

Carlos Alcaraz is the defending men’s champion while Elena Rybakina won the women’s title in 2023.

Ahead of the tournament, we posed 10 questions for the top 10 players on each tour, starting with the WTA Tour…

Iga Swiatek

Can Swiatek avoid Australian Open repeat? Danielle Collins in the second round, Linda Noskova in the third. Sound familiar? Iga Swiatek might have to face the same early hurdles she did at the Australian Open, where she was pushed by Collins in three sets and then upset by Noskova.

Swiatek has looked good since her early exit in Melbourne – winning in Doha and making the Dubai semis – but this is another potentially tricky draw for the world No. 1.

Aryna Sabalenka

Will Sabalenka find invincibility mode again? Aryna Sabalenka was sublime at the Australian Open, looking almost invincible as she blasted her way to the title without dropping a set.

But after a shock loss to Donna Vekic in Dubai – after which Sabalenka said her “level of play was so bad” – she now needs to rediscover that level. That loss to Vekic is Sabalenka’s only match since winning the Australian Open, so she might take a little time to get back into her groove.

Coco Gauff

Will Gauff celebrate turning 20 in style? Indian Wells will be Coco Gauff’s last tournament as a teenager. The world No. 3 turns 20 during the second week and she will be hoping to still be in the draw when she celebrates.

After losing in the Australian Open semis to Sabalenka, Gauff didn’t make a deep run in Qatar or Dubai, but this will be her first tournament back in the USA since winning the US Open and that could push her on to have another big showing.

Elena Rybakina

Is this Rybakina’s time to shine again? Elena Rybakina was one win away from doing the Sunshine Double last year as she won Indian Wells and then lost to Petra Kvitova in the Miami final.

Her serve continues to be a major weapon and she has the most wins on the WTA Tour (17) in 2024. If she is fully healthy after withdrawing from Dubai due to injury she is a leading contender.

Jessica Pegula

Pegula has made big steps forward over the last few year and will be hoping Knowles and Merklein can continue to move her upwards as she looks to rival the ‘Big Four’.

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Top 5 shots 2024 Australian Open – The best shots from women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka

Ons Jabeur

Can Jabeur turn tables on Andreeva? Ons Jabeur might be in a similar situation to this time last year, when she returned from injury at Indian Wells and then later said it was “probably too early”.

She missed Dubai last month due to a knee issue and it is unclear how fit she will be for Indian Wells. She has not been handed a great draw as her first match could be against 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who beat her in just 56 minutes at the Australian Open.

Marketa Vondrousova

Will the Wimbledon champion please stand up? The Marketa Vondrousova that won the Wimbledon title last summer has not been seen much since.

The 24-year-old hasn’t made it past the quarter-finals of a tournament since her maiden Slam win and has spoken about getting used to handling the pressures and expectations of being a Grand Slam winner. Rediscovering the winning mentality that guided her to victory at SW19 looks to be the challenge for Vondrousova.

Qinwen Zheng

Zheng took steps forward at the end of 2023 and comes into Indian Wells on the back of making the Dubai quarters. Another run to the last eight or further would be a positive result for the 21-year-old.

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‘It was just a difference in class’ – Expert reaction to Zheng losing to Sabalenka

Maria Sakkari

Is Sakkari a dark horse? Maria Sakkari’s form has fallen off over the last year, but she could be one to watch at Indian Wells given she made the final two years ago and semis last year.

She also has a new coach in her corner, David Witt, who has joined the team after splitting with Jessica Pegula. Witt helped Pegula reached No. 3 in the world and could be a good choice for Sakkari as she aims to move back up the rankings.

Jelena Ostapenko

How dangerous is Ostapenko? Jelena Ostapenko looks to be back in the groove this season. Only Rybakina has more wins than her on tour and she has lifted two singles titles in Adelaide and Linz.

The 26-year-old is a big hitter who is not afraid to go for her shots, and has spoken about feeling “more mature and more confident” this season. She is a player not many will relish facing at Indian Wells.

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Indian Wells: Last dance for Murray and Nadal? Swiatek eyes glory and more

Indian Wells is here.

It will feature almost all of the top stars from both tours, including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff.

Who are the players to watch, what are the top takeaways from the draw, what are the big talking points? We run through everything you need to know ahead of Indian Wells…

Djokovic makes Indian Wells return

Five years after his last appearance at Indian Wells, Novak Djokovic is back.

The five-time champion has been unable to travel to the USA for the last few years due to being unvaccinated against Covid, so has missed out on playing the Sunshine Double. He returns with a few things on his mind.

There’s the chance to win a record-extending 41st Masters title and the opportunity to open up a significant lead at the top of the world rankings as he has no points to defend over the next month. He will also be looking to show he remains the best around after being dispatched by Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semis in his last match.

Last dance for Murray and Nadal?

This could well be the last time that Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray play Indian Wells.

Nadal has said that this might be his final season on tour as he battles injuries and Murray has recently said he is unlikely to play the beyond the summer. Nadal has a great history at Indian Wells, which has been his second-most successful hard-court Masters event behind the Canadian Open, and made the final on his last appearance in 2022. Murray has not had as much success and it is one of only two Masters tournaments along with Monte Carlo that he hasn’t won.

Sinner looks to keep winning

The last time Jannik Sinner lost a match was in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals.

He’s 12 for 12 this year, winning the Australian Open and then following up with success in Rotterdam. Described as “the big one right now” in men’s tennis by Daniil Medvedev, Sinner has certainly been playing the best tennis of anyone on the ATP Tour this year and if continues to play at the level he did in Melbourne he should be the favourite for the title.

Alcaraz aims for return to best

Carlos Alcaraz’s preparation for Indian Wells has not been ideal.

After a flat showing in the Australian Open quarter-finals he was beaten in the Buenos Aires semis by Nicolas Jarry, and then in Rio he had to withdraw just two games into his first match after injuring his ankle.

The ankle looked to be fine during an exhibition in Las Vegas with Rafael Nadal, but how will it hold up with back-to-back Masters events? And will it limit his explosive shot-making skills?

Is Draper best of the Brits?

It was Indian Wells in 2021 where Cameron Norrie won the first Masters title of his career. He has followed that up with two quarter-final runs at the tournament over the last two years and a repeat showing would see the British No. 1 hit 200 career wins.

British No. 2 Dan Evans is also targeting a landmark of 150 wins – he needs two to reach that total – but the biggest British threat could be Jack Draper.

Draper showed again what a talented player he is by reaching the Mexican Open semis without dropping a set. He took a set off eventual winner Alex de Minaur before having to retire from their semi-final due to illness. Described by De Minaur as a “hell of a player, a hell of a talent”, Draper has the game and form to make a run at Indian Wells.

WTA ‘Big Four’ set to do battle

This time last year there was talk about a ‘Big Three’ on the WTA Tour, now it’s a ‘Big Four’ of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff.

The four have won seven of the last eight Grand Slam titles and have shared all of the big titles so far this season, aside from Dubai.

It’s difficult to know which of the four starts as favourite. Sabalenka was ridiculously good in winning the Australian Open but then lost on her return in Dubai to Donna Vekic. Swiatek was brilliant in February after losing early in Melbourne, while Rybakina has the most match wins (17) on the WTA Tour this season. Gauff hasn’t been quite at the level of the other three in 2024 but made the Australian Open semis and looks to have quite a kind draw at Indian Wells.

It’s hard to imagine that at least one of them won’t be in contention for the title on March 17.

Swiatek out to avoid Australian Open repeat

If Swiatek does make the final she will have done it the hard way.

The world No. 1 has been handed a repeat of her Australian Open draw as she could open against Danielle Collins, who she beat in three sets in Melbourne, and might then face Linda Noskova, who pulled off an upset win over Swiatek just six weeks ago.

A couple of big-hitters could await if Swiatek gets further, with Jelena Ostapenko a potential quarter-final opponent and defending champion Elena Rybakina the seeded opponent in the semis.

Swiatek was excellent in February as she bounced back impressively from her early Australian Open exit and she will need to hit top gear from the start at Indian Wells.

Sabalenka lands in loaded quarter

Sabalenka looked simply unstoppable at the Australian Open at the start of the year and if she hits that level again she will be a very tough opponent for anyone.

However, she is in an intriguing part of the draw.

Along with world No. 2 Sabalenka in the bottom quarter are fifth seed Jessica Pegula, ninth seed Maria Sakkari, 16th seed Elina Svitolina, and 30th seed Yastremska.

Sabalenka has the power to blow any of those off the court, but Pegula might have something fresh with a new coaching team and Sakkari has a new coach and a solid record at Indian Wells, where she has made the final and semis in the last two years. Svitolina could also be a difficult opponent.

Having played just one match since winning the Australian Open, Sabalenka might have to hit the ground running at Indian Wells.

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Top 5 shots 2024 Australian Open – The best shots from women’s singles champion Aryna Sabalenka

Boulter leads Brits after San Diego win

Katie Boulter had the best week of her career in San Diego as she beat five top-50 players to win the title. Now up to No. 27 in the world rankings, Boulter is playing some of the most exciting tennis of her career and has the chance for another breakthrough run in Indian Wells. She has, though, been handed a tricky draw as she is unseeded. She opens against Camila Giorgi and could then meet 26th seed Noskova, followed by world No. 1 Swiatek in the third round.

Wild card Emma Raducanu opens against a qualifier before potentially meeting 30th seed Dayana Yastremska in the second round and then world No. 2 Sabalenka in round three.

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‘Nothing stops here’ – Boulter aims for more after San Diego title triumph

Osaka looks to keep building

Naomi Osaka’s comeback picked up a bit of pace in Doha as she beat Caroline Garcia and Petra Martic on her way to the quarter-finals, where she was edged out by Karolina Pliskova in a tight contest.

Osaka, who gave birth to her daughter Shai last summer, looked to be finding some form after losing three of her first four matches of the season. The former world No. 1 opens up against a qualifier and then could face Coco Gauff in the quarters.

Two other mums, Caroline Wozniacki, who came out of retirement last summer after giving birth to two children, and Angelique Kerber, who gave birth last February, are also in the main draw.

Is this Williams’ Indian Wells farewell?

While Nadal and Murray have seemingly signalled their intentions to hang up their racquets pretty soon, nobody quite knows when Venus Williams is going to retire.

The 43-year-old said recently that she was told by younger sister Serena that she is “not allowed to quit” – and she will be back at Indian Wells for the first time since 2019 after getting a wild card.

Williams, who is set to face a qualifier in the first round, hasn’t played since the US Open due to injuries. She is also planning to play the Miami Open.

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