INDIAN WELLS: World number one Novak Djokovic survived a stern test from qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo to make the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, with Spaniard Rafa Nadal also needing three sets to advance from a tricky opening clash.
Double defending champion Djokovic dropped the first set before coming from behind to book his third-round spot in the ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Fratangelo and will next face Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who dropped only one game in beating American Denis Kudla.
Fourth seed Nadal also had a fight to make the third round in the day’s late match, saving 11 of 14 break points to edge out Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, and will now face his doubles partner Fernando Verdasco.
Women’s top seed Serena Williams looked like she was in for a battle but the early challenge of Yulia Putintseva wilted as the American eased to a 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 third-round win and will face Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine in the fourth round.
While Williams got a good workout on Sunday, world number three Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland barely raised a sweat as she continued her bid for a first Indian Wells crown by beating Monica Niculescu 6-2, 6-1.
In the evening session, reigning champion Simona Halep steamrolled Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-4 to get her title defence off to a flying start.
Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova won the final four games of the match to beat Johanna Larsson of Sweden, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and last year’s runner-up Jelena Jankovic of Serbia routed Coco Vandeweghe of the US 6-0, 6-1.
In the men’s draw, Japanese star Kei Nishikori eased into the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin but Bulgarian 23rd seed Grigor Dimitrov was dumped out by German teenager Alexander Zverev 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated French compatriot Vincent Millot 7-5, 6-1, Dominic Thiem beat Jozef Kovalik 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3) and Sam Querrey stopped Thiemo de Bakker 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2016
