Indian Wells: Alcaraz, Swiatek, Raducanu and Sinner, ride youth in the 3rd round

In the wake of Carlos Alcaraz, pretender to the world throne “Iberian-motivated”, and Iga Swiatek, defending champion in great hurry, the young guard also embodied by Jannik Sinner and Emma Raducanu, hit the highway for the 3rd round of the tournament from Indian Wells on Saturday.

In the absence of boss Novak Djokovic, prevented from entering the United States because he has not been vaccinated against Covid, his Spanish dolphin can redraw the hierarchy if he wins in the Californian desert, where he has reached the last four l year. For his debut, he disposed 6-3, 6-3 of the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (94th).

A reassuring start on the physical level for the winner of the US Open last September, who withdrew from Acapulco last week due to pain in the right hamstring, the same where he was injured in January, which had forced him to give up the Australian Open. Alcaraz did not betray any embarrassment and he did not hold back in his acceleration or his races, even if Kokkinakis did not really have the possibility of jostling him and even less of getting the slightest break point.

Murray and Wawrinka resist

On the road to the Spaniard will stand on Monday the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor (36th). Jannik Sinner (13th), currently in good shape, winner in Montpellier then finalist in Rotterdam in February, for his part started with a solid victory 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) against Richard Gasquet (43rd). Facing the 36-year-old Frenchman, 15 years his senior, the Italian made his power speak during a match teeming with good points, most often to his advantage. He will be opposed in the next round to another Frenchman, Adrian Mannarino (68th), who released the seeded N.19, the Italian Lorenzo Musetti (6-4, 6-4).

Among the other qualifiers are defending champion Taylor Fritz (5th), Dane Holger Rune (8th) and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (10th). But, in this batch of youngsters, two veterans have not said their last word since Andy Murray (55th) and Stan Wawrinka (100th), both triple winners in Grand Slams, in search of their past glory after several wasted years by injuries, are still in the game. The 35-year-old Scot, finalist at Indian Wells in 2009, dismissed Moldovan Radu Albot (109th) 6-4, 6-3. The 37-year-old Swiss beat Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (26th) 7-6 (10/8), 6-4.

Ruthless Swiatek

Among the women, Iga Swiatek made short work of the American Claire Liu (56th), crushed 6-0, 6-1 in just over an hour. The world No.1, 21, won 25 of the 32 points played in the first set. And, in the second set, she unfolded without weakening or conceding a break point.

Swiatek could have ended on a double donut, but Liu fought to save match point, and honor, by winning a game.”Claire was able to take advantage of the only moment when I didn’t play as aggressively as I had to, but I’m happy that I was able to conclude fairly quickly.“, commented the winner of Roland-Garros and the US Open last year. In search of a double in the Californian desert, which only Martina Navratilova achieved in 1991 and 1992, she will then face the Canadian Bianca Andreescu (36th), titled in 2019.

Emma Raducanu (77th), crowned at Flushing Meadows in 2021, defeated 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 the Polish Magda Linette (21st). An encouraging success for the Briton, plagued by health concerns last year and even at the start of the season, since she withdrew from Austin last week due to tonsillitis. “I am very satisfied with the way I fought“, she welcomed, before challenging the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia (13th).