FREE TENNIS AT INDIAN WELLS TENNIS GARDENS • ORACLE CHALLENGER • TAYLOR FRITZ TO PLAY NOAH RUBIN • FULL SCHEDULE • RESULTS • DRAWS • GREAT MATCHES

Written by: Staff on 26th February 2018

FREE TENNIS AT INDIAN WELLS TENNIS GARDENS • ORACLE CHALLENGER • TAYLOR FRITZ TO PLAY NOAH RUBIN • FULL SCHEDULE • RESULTS • DRAWS • GREAT MATCHES |

Nicole Gibbs

Oracle Challenger Series

February 24 – March 4, 2018

Indian Wells Tennis Garden

Indian Wells, Calif.

GIBBS, COLLINS, ANISIMOVA ADVANCE TO 2ND ROUND

AT ORACLE CHALLENGER SERIES – INDIAN WELLS

Taylor Fritz to Face Noah Rubin on Tuesday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden

Americans Nicole Gibbs and Danielle Collins, two former collegiate champions, captured first-round victories on Monday at the Oracle Challenger Series at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Gibbs, a two-time NCAA singles champion at Stanford University, defeated seventh-seeded Natalia Vikhlyantseva of Russia 7-5, 6-2 in one-hour and 33 minutes.

“I was just patient with myself and allowed myself to think clearly and find my best tennis when I needed it. I started playing a little better in the second set,” Gibbs said after her first-round win. “I’m just trying to build on the season I’ve had so far. I’m still waiting for that exciting result to try and get some momentum behind me and take it into the rest of the season.”

When asked how she felt about the opportunity to compete in this week’s Oracle Challenger Series, Gibbs responded, “It’s going to be a great event. This is one of the best venues in tennis, so I’m really excited to be here an extra week. These events are just phenomenal for U.S. tennis. It’s awesome and spectators are going to have a good time.”

Gibbs advances to the second round, where she will take on fellow American Amanda Anisimova of Aventura, Fla., who eased past qualifier Naomi Broady of Great Britain 6-1, 6-1 in 51 minutes.

Wildcard entrant Danielle Collins, a former two-time NCAA singles champion at the University of Virginia, played with confidence and determination as she overcame 2009 BNP Paribas Open champion Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-4.

“I just went out there and played my game and tried to dictate from the start. I knew she was a tough player, very aggressive. I wanted to beat her to the punch and that’s what I did,” Collins said. “I love playing all of the Oracle events. Obviously, I want to win the tournament but I have to take it one match at a time.”

Also advancing to the second round was 19-year-old Caroline Dolehide of Orlando, Fla., a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo.

In the men’s draw, Americans Sebastian Korda and Tim Smyczek were eliminated in first-round action on Monday. Korda, the 2018 Australian Open boys’ singles champion, fell to Norbert Gombos of Slovakia 6-0, 6-4, while Smyczek dropped a 6-1, 7-6 (10) decision to Dudi Sela of Israel.

On Tuesday, fourth-seeded Taylor Fritz will play fellow American Noah Rubin and American Bradley Klahn will go up against seventh-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France in first-round matches.

For Tuesday’s Order of Play, click here.

For Men’s Singles Main Draw, click here.

For Women’s Singles Main Draw, click here.

For Men’s Doubles Main Draw, click here.

For Women’s Doubles Main Draw, click here.

For Live Scoring, go to: http://oraclechallengerseries.com/

For Live Streaming, go to: http://oraclechallengerseries.com/live-stream/

Play will start each day at 10 a.m. Gates will open at 9 a.m. Admission and on-site parking for spectators at the Oracle Challenger Series – Indian Wells is free. Attendees can enter Gate 2 from Washington Street. Selected concessions will open at 11 a.m. For additional event information, go to: oraclechallengerseries.com.

The tournament in Indian Wells is the second event of the Oracle Challenger Series. The first event was played on January 20-28, 2018 at the Newport Beach Tennis Club in Newport Beach, Calif. Taylor Fritz of Palos Verdes, Calif., captured the men’s singles title with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory over fellow American Bradley Klahn in the final. Former two-time NCAA singles champion Danielle Collins of St. Petersburg, Fla., defeated Sofya Zhuk of Russia 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the women’s singles final.

The top two male and top two female Americans with the highest accumulated points in the Oracle Challenger Series will be awarded wildcards in their respective singles main draws at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open, held March 5-18 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

About the Oracle Challenger Series – The Oracle Challenger Series was created to offer American tennis players more opportunities and builds on Oracle’s commitment to help support U.S. tennis for men and women at both the collegiate and professional level. The Series will feature equal prize money in a groundbreaking tournament format that combines the ATP Challenger Tour and WTA 125K Series.

Beyond expanding the number of chances to compete, the Series offers an unmatched potential prize of wild cards for top American finishers into the main draw of the BNP Paribas Open, which is widely considered the top combined ATP World Tour and WTA professional tennis tournament in the world.

About the Indian Wells Tennis Garden – The Indian Wells Tennis Garden opened in March 2000 and is a world-class tennis venue home to the renowned BNP Paribas Open. The site features the newly-renovated Stadium 1, the second largest tennis stadium in the world. The 16,100-seat stadium underwent a full-scale renovation before the 2017 BNP Paribas Open that added more than 20 new dining options and completed re-constructed the concourse and suite level. The Tennis Garden also houses an 8,000-seat permanent Stadium 2 with three gourmet restaurants, including world-famous Nobu. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden features two 19,000 square foot shade structures, 28 world-class courts, eight acres of exhibition space, a full-service, year-round tennis club, and 55 acres of outdoor parking.

Oracle Challenger Series Indian Wells

Indian Wells Tennis Garden

Indian Wells, Calif.

Monday’s Results

Men’s Singles – First Round

H. Laaksonen (SUI) d [6] M. Youzhny (RUS) 76(3) 20 Retired

[8] D. Sela (ISR) d T. Smyczek (USA) 61 76(10)

N. Gombos (SVK) d [WC] S. Korda (USA) 60 64

[Alt] R. Ojeda Lara (ESP) d F. Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 60 64

M. Klizan (SVK) d S. Stakhovsky (UKR) 63 26 63

Men’s Doubles – First Round

[4] J. Nedunchezhiyan (IND) / P. Raja (IND) d [WC] T. Fritz (USA) / R. Opelka (USA) 62 76(7)