Indian Wells: Kudermetova stuns Osaka; Fernandez, Paolini cruise into next round
Mar 13, 2022
California [US], March 13 : Russia's Veronika Kudermetova advance into the third round with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka in the second round here in California on Saturday.
Kudermetova opened the match at 1-0, but, players had to switch the ends as a fan was heckling Osaka. Despite the situation, the No.21 seed stayed laser-focused and stormed into the next set with a 6-0 lead over 24-year-old.
Osaka responded by raising her level in the second set, but Kudermetova handle her serve calmly and closed the match which lasted for one hour and 17 minutes.
In their first meeting on Saturday night, Kudermetova proved to be a more in-form player in the match and set her next clash with Czech's Marie Bouzkova.
In another match of Master's event, No. 18 seed Leylah Fernandez saved four match points against the 20-year-old Amanda Anisimova before she retired due to illness at 2-6, 7-6(0). Fernandez will face America's Shelby Rogers in the next round.
While, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka crashed out of her opening match as Italian Jasmine Paolini rallied for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory in the one-hour, 47 minutes.
The 26-year-old Italian set up a third-round clash with Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic, who defeated Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
