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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday October 11, 2020

 
Anett Kontaveit

Estonia's Anett topped defending champion Bianca Andreescu her first ever defeat at Indian Wells.

Photo Source: Ostrava J&T Banka Open

Anett Kontaveit is clearly in the zone, and not even gusting winds and the defending BNP Paribas Open champion could slow her down on Monday as she got past Bianca Andreescu 7-6(5), 6-3 to book her spot in the round of 16 for the second consecutive year at Indian Wells.

Tennis Express

Kontaveit, fresh off hard court titles in Cleveland in August and Ostrava in September, has won her last 16 sets and notched victories in 15 of her last 16 matches. Only Poland’s Iga Swiatek has defeated her in that span, in the third round of the US Open.

The Estonian is a former World No.14 who has returned to the Top-20 for the first time since June of 2019, thanks to a recent pairing with coach Dmitry Tursunov, a former ATP star and former coach of Aryna Sabalenka.

The pair hooked up at Cincinnati this summer, and Kontaveit says that while no drastic changes have occurred in her game, she’s benefitting from his presence.


"I started working with him in Cincinnati, I didn't have a coach, I was looking for a coach and I suppose he was looking for a job, so that's how it happened,” she said while in Chicago last week. "There's not a drastic change in how he views my game but he's definitely given me some positivity, there are definitely things to work on and I think we agree on those things so that's definitely a good thing."

Kontaveit has talked much about changing her overall mindset and playing with more freedom. It has helped her relax on court and just have fun.

"I think I really started enjoying playing again, and I think that's been the main key," she said while in Ostrava, after defeating Maria Sakkari for the title. "I'm having a really good time on court and I'm having fun through the battles and the tough matches as well. I sort of started finding my way in Cleveland. My new coach also has given me some new energy and new perspectives as well. I'm just feeling a little more comfortable and enjoying myself more."

Kontaveit, who improved to 3-0 lifetime against Andreescu, will look to reach the quarterfinals for the first time at Indian Wells when she meets either top-seeded Karolina Pliskova or Beatriz Haddad Maia next.

Andreescu entered the contest with an 8-0 lifetime record at Indian Wells. She became the first teenage champion at Indian Wells in 2019 when she won the tournament on her debut, defeating Angelique Kerber in the final.

She was broken five times in ten service games and only managed to win nine of 25 second-serve points against Kontaveit.

Kalinskaya and Kerber Advance

World No.151 Anna Kalinskaya topped Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic, while 10th-seeded Angelique Kerber, the 2019 runner-up, defeated 20th-seeded Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

 

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