Indian Wells
Early Matches
Singles – Second Round: (4) Angelique Kerber def. Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3 6-2
Given the efficiency of this win, maybe Angelique Kerber is finally over her physical problems. She moves back to the head of the pack in the three-way contest for #6. Irina-Camelia Begu remains just below #50.
Singles – Second Round: (7) Samantha Stosur def. Madison Keys 6-3 6-4
Samantha Stosur defends her points. That makes her #9 ranking a little more secure, but she cannot climb this week.
Singles – Second Round: (10) Nadia Petrova def. Stefanie Voegele 6-2 6-3
Nadia Petrova doesn’t have much hope of reaching the Top Ten, but it’s just barely possible if she can keep playing like this.
Singles – Second Round: Jamie Hampton def. (20) Hsieh Su-Wei 6-3 6-3
Hsieh Su-Wei is suddenly in a bit of a slump. After failing to defend at Kuala Lumpur, she loses a few more points here. That will cause her to drop to probably around #38.
Singles – Second Round: (21) Julia Goerges def. Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-3
It looks as if this might cost Sofia Arvidsson her Top Fifty spot. Julia Goerges still needs one more win to defend her points, but this should keep her Top Thirty.
Singles – Second Round: (28) Kirsten Flipkens def. Monica Niculescu 4-6 6-4 6-3
Kirsten Flipkens appears to have established herself in the Top Thirty. Too bad she faces Victoria Azarenka next.
Singles – Second Round: (30) Yanina Wickmayer def. (Q) Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 3-6 6-3 6-2
At least Mirjana Lucic-Baroni is very close to returning to the Top Hundred, even if she isn’t quite there. Yanina Wickmayer, who lost her opener last year, will almost certainly return to the Top Thirty.
Singles – Second Round: (32) Peng Shuai def. Alexandra Dulgheru 6-0 4-6 6-3
A fairly creditable result, considering how long Alexandra Dulgheru has been away. Peng Shuai gains 75 points and will likely rise three or four ranking spots.
Doubles – Second Round: Hsieh/Peng def. (1) Errani/Vinci 6-2 6-3
Wow. Not only did the world’s top team lose, they lost in just over an hour. We have to think that there was something wrong; it will be interesting to see how Errani and Vinci do in singles on Sunday.