World No 1 Osaka, No 2 Halep upset in Indian Wells Masters

Speed Post News Network

Patna : World No 1 and reigning US Open and Australian Open Champion Naomi Osaka, 21, Japan, and World No Simona Halep, 27, Romania, crashed out of Indian Wells Masters, a premier event on WTA World Tour played on hard court at California, USA, on March 13, 2019.

World No 23 Belinda Bencic, 23, Switzerland, stunned top seed and defending champion Naomi Osaka, 21, Japan, in the Round of 16 to enter the quarter-finals of Indian Wells Masters. World No 61 Marketa Vondrousova, 19, Czech Republic, upset World No 2 Simona Halep to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Bencic crushed Osaka 6-3, 6-1 to sail into the QFs of the event. Bencic served 4 Aces in the match to 1 by Osaka. Bencic broke Osaka’s service 5 times while the latter broke her service only once. Both the players committed 3 double faults each. Bencic’s winning percentage both on her first and second serve ( 82% & 60 %) was much higher than that of Osaka (50% & 48%). Bencic won 4 games in a row in the match to 2 by Osaka.

Vondrousova beat Halep in three-sets 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in the 4th round to enter the QFs. Vondrousova served 2 Aces in the match to none by Halep. Vondrousova committed 3 double faults to 4 by Halep in the match. Vondrousova broke Halep’s service 8 times while the latter broke her service 5 times. Halep won 3 games in a row in the match to 5 by Vondrousova.

But, World No 5 Karolina Pliskova, 26, Czech Republic, World No 6 Elina Svitolina, 24, Ukraine, World No 8 Angelique Kerber, 31, Germany, and World No 36 Venus Williams, 38, USA, defeated their respective 4th round opponents to enter the QFs.

Pliskova beat World No 21 Anett Kontaveit, 23, Estonia, 7-6, 4-6, 6-2 in a tough contest in the 4th round. Pliskova fired 13 Aces in the match to 5 by Kontaveit. Pliskova though committed 4 double faults to 2 by Kontaveit. Pliskova broke Kontaveit’s service 5 times while the latter broke her service 4 times. Pliskova also won 4 games in a row in the match to 3 by Kontaveit. Pliskova will face Bencic in the QF.

Svitolina beat World No 12 Ashleigh Barty, 22, Australia, in a three-set thriller 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 in the 4th round. Barty though fired 6 Aces in the match to 3 by Svitolina. She, however, also committed 6 double faults to 4 by Svitolina. Both the players broke service of each other 6 times each. Barty won 6 games in a row in the match to 4 by Svitolina. Svitolina will face Vondrousova in the QFs.

Kerber beat World No 9 Aryna Sabalenka, 20, Belarus, in a tough three-set contest 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the 4th round. Kerber broke Salalenka’s service 7 times while the latter broke her service 4 times. Kerber committed 5 double faults to 4 by Sabalenka. Kerber, however, won 8 games in a row in the match to 3 by Sabalenka. Sabalenka served 3 Aces in the match to 2 by Kerber, the winner of three Grand Slam singles titles.

Venus Williams beat World No 97 Mona Barthel, 28, Germany, 6-4, 6-4 in the 4th round to enter the QFs. Venus broke Barthel’s service 4 times while the latter broke her service twice. Venus won 3 games in a row in the match to 2 by Barthel, who served 2 Aces. Venus will face Kerber in the QFs.