The 2021 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells is currently underway and we have seen some brilliant performances from the players present. The event is not as star-studded as it used to be as most top-ranked players are away due to injury or some other reason. Still, the action has been on and the event has been quite enjoyable

So far, perhaps one of the biggest highlights is US Open champion, Emma Raducanu losing her first match at the event. 18-year-old Raducanu lost to Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2 6-4. The game was her first since winning the US Open back in September. Raducanu, who fired her coach after her win, owned up to not having trained enough for the event and said she was glad for the upset as it would allow her to train harder to perform better in future games.

Also in the women’s side, teenager Coco Gauff would be proceeding to the round of 32 after defeating Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-7 6-1. Gauff has been very active in this event and if she keeps up the pace, she just might make it to the quarter-finals or even beyond. The success of Raducanu or Leylah Fernandez, two teenagers who played the US Open women’s singles final match, is enough to spur her on.

German Angelique Kerber has proceeded to the round of 16 after she triumphed over Daria Kasatkina. Petra Kvitova fell to the hands of Victoria Azarenka as she failed to win either of the two sets they played. Canadian Fernandez continues her stay in Indian Wells after defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a game of three sets.

On the men’s side, Andy Murray seems to be enjoying his time here as he has made it to the third round after defeating Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz 5-7 6-3 6-2. The veteran player was able to use his experience to steer the match in his favour in the last two rounds. In the same way, Alexander Zverev has scaled to the round of 32 after defeating American Jenson Brooksby in a game of three rounds. World number 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas made light work of Pedro Martinez, defeating him in just two sets, 6-2 6-4. British Dan Evans succumbed to Diego Schwartzman in three sets, allowing the Greek to progress to the round of 16.

Written by: Leon Osamor