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Top-seeded Karolina Pliskova, Daniil Medvedev roll to wins at Indian Wells

Karolina Pliskova returns a shot to Magdalena Frech at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.
Karolina Pliskova returns a shot to Magdalena Frech at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday. The top-seeded Pliskova won the second-round match 7-5, 6-2.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Top seeds Daniil Medvedev and Karolina Pliskova rolled to straight-set victories at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, when several lower-seeded players were knocked out.

Medvedev beat American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-2, extending his winning streak to eight matches dating to his U.S. Open championship last month. Medvedev never faced a break point against McDonald, who was was broken three times.

“I’m actually really pleased because usually I haven’t played well in Indian Wells and I haven’t been playing that well in practices,” Medvedev said. “I’m really happy with my performance. That’s the most important thing, no matter how I played before the tournament.”

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Men’s tennis has been dominated by three players with a combined 59 more majors than Daniil Medvedev, the top seed at Indian Wells. That gap will shrink.

Oct. 8, 2021

Pliskova advanced to the third round with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech at the combined ATP and WTA event. Pliskova fired six aces, giving her a Tour-leading 387 this year, and converted five of her six break points.

Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 champion, beat Alison Riske 7-6 (2), 7-5.

Fifth-seeded Garbine Muguruza was the highest-seeded woman to lose.

Muguruza, who won last week’s event in Chicago, lost to Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. It was Tomljanovic’s first win in seven tries over a top-10 player this year. She was a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon in July.

Anna Kalinskaya outlasted No. 28 Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, and American Amanda Anisimova defeated No. 30 Camila Giorgi 6-4, 6-1.

No. 12 seed Ons Jabeur, who lost to Muguruza in the Chicago final, advanced with a 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3 win over Anastasija Sevastova for her Tour-leading 45th match victory of the year.

Emma Raducanu came down to earth in her first tournament since her U.S. Open title, losing in straight sets to Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the BNP Paribas Open.

Oct. 8, 2021

Coco Gauff, seeded 15th, outlasted Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-1, offsetting 12 aces with seven double faults.

No. 18 Anett Kontaveit retired after trailing 6-3, 5-2 against Martina Trevisan. No. 22 Danielle Collins advanced when Lauren Davis retired trailing 6-1.

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On the men’s side, No. 8 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 11 Diego Schwartzman, No. 16 Reilly Opelka and No. 18 Daniel Evans won.

No. 9 Denis Shapovalov was leading 3-0 when Vasek Pospisil retired. Tommy Paul defeated No. 28 Duasn Lajovic 6-3, 6-3, and Frances Tiafoe beat No. 32 Sebastian Korda 6-0, 6-4.

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