Aryna Sabalenka stunned by Emma Navarro at Indian Wells, Coco Gauff breezes past Elise Mertens

Published 13/03/2024 at 21:51 GMT

Aryna Sabalenka crashed out of Indian Wells after being beaten in three sets by Emma Navarro, while Coco Gauff progressed with a win over Elise Mertens. Second seed Sabalenka recovered from dropping the opening set to force a decider but it was Navarro who came through. She will play either Maria Sakkari or Diane Parry in the last eight, while Gauff will take on Yue Yuan or Daria Kasatkina.

'It'd be surprising if she didn't win at least 2, 3, 4 more' - McEnroe on Sabalenka

Emma Navarro booked her place in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells with a stunning three-set victory over Aryna Sabalenka.

The American, who beat Elina Svitolina in the round of 32, withstood a fightback from the Australian Open champion and No. 2 seed to complete a 6-3 3-6 6-2 victory and will face either Maria Sakkari or Diane Parry on Thursday.

The first set went with serve for seven games with neither able to create a break point before Navarro, the 23rd seed, landed the first blow.

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The American broke to 15 before saving a break point to hold and take an early lead and threaten an upset.

Navarro applied some early pressure in the second but Sabalenka was able to resist and then wrestle the momentum away from her opponent.

A break in the fourth game gave her a foothold she wouldn’t relinquish as she forced a deciding set.

The pair would then exchange three breaks at the start of the decider. Navarro struck first to move 2-0 clear, and despite being immediately broken back, she would regain her advantage and consolidate it with a tough hold for 4-1.

Sabalenka fought until the end but couldn’t engineer a way back into the contest, with Navarro sealing the win with another break.

Coco Gauff booked her place in the last eight with a dominant 6-0 6-2 victory over Belgium’s Elise Mertens.

The reigning US Open champion was in no mood to mess around, clinching the first set in just 25 minutes before making it eight games without reply with an early break in the second.

To her credit, Mertens, the 24th seed, broke back to get on the board and avoid the double bagel but it proved only to be a brief respite from the onslaught.

Mertens drew level at 2-2 in the set before Gauff reeled off four games in a row to clinch a comfortable win.

The 20-year-old will face either Yue Yuan or Daria Kasatkina in the last eight.

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