Carlos Alcaraz, ranked second in the world, quickly advanced to the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells by defeating Fabian Marozsan in straight sets. Alcaraz, who is aiming to be the first player since Novak Djokovic in 2016 to successfully defend the title, won the match in just one hour and fifteen minutes, with a score of 6-3, 6-3.
24-year-old Hungarian player Marozsan had a unique advantage going into the match against Alcaraz, with a rare track record of wins against him. Their previous encounter on the clay courts of Rome last year was one of the most surprising outcomes of the season.
The winner of Wimbledon swiftly sought retaliation by winning four consecutive games, coming back from a 3-2 deficit to claim the first set. He secured the victory with a single break in the second set, setting up a quarter-final match against Alexander Zverev.
Alcaraz admitted feeling anxious before the match, facing off against someone who had previously defeated him with ease. It was challenging for him to mentally prepare for the game. In his post-match interview, Alcaraz revealed, “Despite my nerves, I am pleased with the victory. I was more focused and confident in my strategy than in my previous match in Rome.” Zverev, on the other hand, overcame an early setback to defeat Alex de Minaur from Australia with a final score of 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
Jannik Sinner, who won the Australian Open, has maintained his impressive momentum with his 18th consecutive win against Ben Shelton from the USA with a score of 7-6 (4), 6-1. Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 11th seeded player from Greece, faced an unexpected defeat of 6-2, 6-4 against young Czech player Jiri Lehecka.
The world’s top-ranked women’s singles player, Iga Swiatek, will face off against former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals. Swiatek breezed through her match against Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan, defeating her in just over an hour with scores of 6-1, 6-2. Wozniacki, hailing from Denmark, also had a successful match, beating three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber in 90 minutes with scores of 6-4, 6-2. This victory marks Wozniacki’s first appearance in a WTA 100 quarter-final since 2019, after her return to the tour.
After her match, Wozniacki acknowledged the challenge of competing against Swiatek and noted the need to play at her peak level of tennis. Wozniacki has watched some of Swiatek’s matches and has also practiced with her during the US Open, giving her insight into Swiatek’s powerful and skilled playing style. However, there is a difference between observing and actually facing Swiatek in a complete match.
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Reworded: Swiatek expressed her immense admiration for Wozniacki. Despite taking a break for maternity, Wozniacki continues to play exceptionally well and showed great determination in making a comeback. I hold her in high regard. I will prepare for our match like I would for any other opponent, but outside of tennis, she is a wonderful individual.
Marta Kostyuk, from Ukraine, beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova from Russia with a score of 6-4, 6-1. Likewise, Anastasia Potapova from Russia won against Jasmine Paolini from Italy with final scores of 7-5, 0-6, 6-3.
