Ivanovic and Wozniacki Squeeze Into Indian Wells Fourth Round

By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Tony Chang/Chang Photography

(March 13th, 2012) Yesterday's third round action on the women's side at the BNP Paribas Open proved to be anything but predictable as several of the top seeds battled against lesser-known foes to claim their spot in the round of 16. Meanwhile, it was a former top five player who proved she's still got the right stuff to challenge the very elite of the WTA.

No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova appeared en route to an easy straight set win over Romania's Simona Halep. But serving for the match at 5-1, 40-love in the second set, Sharapova was unable to close out the game and ended having to break Halep's serve to close out the 6-3, 6-4 victory. Sharapova next meets Italy's Roberta Vinci who beat Dominika Cibulkova 6-7, 6-0, 6-4.

No. 4 seed Caroline Wozniacki found herself down a set and 4-5 due to the powerful hitting of Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson before the defending champion used her trademark defense to squeeze out a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 win. Wozniacki now faces No. 15 seed Ana Ivanovic who not only battled her opponent Ksenia Pervak, but cramping and a mild thigh injury before the 2008 champion closed out 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 win.

No. 6 seed Sam Stosur knew she would be in for a tough afternoon against her former doubles partner and former top five player No. 30 seed Nadia Petrova. After Petrova romped through the opening set and then went up an early break in the second, it was only until Stosur hit a winning down the line forehand to break Petrova back for 3-all that the Australian finally looked comfortable in the match.

After Petrova broke back but failed to serve out the set at 5-4, the set reached a tiebreak that saw Petrova earn her first match point but have it quickly erased by a big Stosur serve. Stosur eventually won the tiebreak and appeared ready to take control.

But big serving from the Russian, including 15 aces in total, allowed Petrova to stay close with Stosur well into the third set. But when a let was called on a Petrova ace at 5-all, it threw off the Russian just enough that it allowed Stosur to break for 6-5. But Stosur played a tight game herself serving for the match and dropped serve forcing a final set tiebreak. A see-saw battle ensued until Petrova earned two more match points, one on her serve that she finally converted when a Stosur forehand went wide giving the Russian a hard-earned 6-1, 6-7, 7-6 victory.

"I had a really rough start to the year," said Petrova afterwards. "This is only my third win, but I'm really happy to win this match and I'm sure it will give me a lot more confidence."

Petrova now faces fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko who took out Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Marion Bartoli won comfortably 6-2, 6-0 over Chanelle Scheepers and will meet Lucie Safarova who advanced over Francesca Schiavone who retired in their match due to illness.