Heather Watson advances in BNP Paribas Open

Wed., March 8, 2017

Associated Press

BNP Paribas Open

WTA TOUR

Wednesday’s Results

At The Indian Wells Tennis Garden, Indian Wells, Calif.

Surface: Hard-Outdoor, Purse: Women, $6.99 million (Premier)

Singles

First Round

Heather Watson, Britain, def. Nicole Gibbs, United States, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Monica Niculescu, Romania, vs. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Danka Kovinic, Montenegro, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (3).

Kirsten Flipkens, Belgium, def. CiCi Bellis, United States, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Johanna Larsson, Sweden, def. Camila Giorgi, Italy, 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Wang Qiang, China, def. Kateryna Bondarenko, Ukraine, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Kayla Day, United States, def. Kurumi Nara, Japan, 6-3, 6-4.

Monica Puig, Puerto Rico, def. Danielle Collins, United States, 6-0, 6-2.

Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium, def. Laura Siegemund, Germany, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Madison Brengle, United States, def. Tatjana Maria, Germany, 6-4, 6-2.

Louisa Chirico, United States, def. Francesca Schiavone, Italy, 6-3, 6-3.

Kristyna Pliskova, Czech Republic, def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States, 6-0, 6-3.

Belinda Bencic, Switzerland, def. Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria, 6-4, 6-1.

Evgeniya Rodina, Russia, def. Christina McHale, United States, 6-1, 6-0.

Sara Errani, Italy, def. Mandy Minella, Luxembourg, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Anett Kontaveit, Estonia, def. Misaki Doi, Japan, 7-5, 6-4.

Doubles

First Round

Lara Arruabarrena, Spain, and Liang Chen, China, def. Caroline Garcia, France, and Karolina Pliskova (3), Czech Republic, 6-4, 1-6, 13-11.

Vania King, United States, and Yaroslava Shvedova (7), Kazakhstan, def. Timea Babos, Hungary, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, 7-5, 6-2.

Andrea Hlavackhova, Czech Republic, and Peng Shuai (5), China, def. Darija Jurak, Croatia, and Anastasia Rodionova, Australia, 7-5, 6-1.

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina (2), Russia, def. Olga Kalashnikova, Georgia, and Maria Sanchez, United States, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (6).

Sam Stosur, Australia, and Zhang Shuai, China, def. Maria Irigoyen, Argentina, and Megan Moulton-Levy, United States, 6-2, 6-3.

Chan Yung-jan, Taiwan, and Martina Hingis (6), Switzerland, def. Raquel Atawo, United States, and Xu Yifan, China, 6-1, 6-4.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Britain’s Heather Watson beat American Nicole Gibbs 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open.

Watson will face No. 11 Johanna Konta in the second round.

Former No. 1 Martina Hingis and double partner Yung-Jan Chan beat Raquel Atawo and Yifan Xu 6-1, 6-4.

China’s Qiang Wang, ranked No. 60, won one of the tightest matches of the day, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 over Ukraine’ Kateryna Bondarenko. Wang will play No. 10 Elina Svitolina in the next round.

Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig would have faced Serena Williams after beating American Danielle Collins 6-0, 6-2, but Williams pulled out Tuesday because of knee issues. Puig will face No. 3 Karolina Pliskova.

Sweden’s Elias Ymer may have had the upset of the day with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in men’s qualifying play. Ymer is No. 158 in the ATP ranking, and Nishioka 70th.