(March 13, 2022) INDIAN WELLS, California – No. 7 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia topped Dominik Koepfer 7-5, 6-4 on Sunday in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, improving his 2022 record to 15-2 this year with his 10th straight win. Only Rafael Nadal at 16-0 has a better record on the men’s tour so far this year. He rallied from 2-4 down in the first set.
World No. 3 Alexander Zverev lost to No. 39 Tommy Paul in the night session 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3). The American Paul is now 2-0 in his career versus the German. After the biggest win of his career Paul told the crowd: “I like playing here, I like the conditions. The fans really support [the American players] here, and that’s why we all love it. It feels like a real home tournament.”
This was Paul’s fourth win over a Top Ten player.
Andy Murray lost to No. 31 seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 7-6 (9), 6-3.
“I certainly had my chances and against players that play that style of tennis and have obviously big serves and not easy to break, you need to, when you get those chances, be ruthless,” Murray said in his news conference. “I just didn’t quite play well enough in those moments and that’s the thing that obviously I want to turn around.”
“I think like if I look at a match like today, I had all of the opportunities really in the first set. Obviously a tiebreak. Both of us had some chances there, but in the first set I certainly created more of the opportunities and I didn’t take them.
“He obviously came up with some good serves at times, but I certainly had my chances and, you know, against players that play that style of tennis and have obviously big serves and not easy to break, you need to, when you get those chances, you know, be ruthless and I just didn’t quite play well enough in those moments today and that’s the thing that obviously I want to turn around.”
Murray said that he will not be playing during the clay court season.
“I’m not planning on playing the clay court season; however, as it stands today I would have to put Rafa (Nadal) as being the favorite to potentially win the French Open again. Novak’s (Djokovic) obviously had very little competitive tennis for a period, and Rafa’s obviously started the year extremely well and, yeah, he’s maybe in a position that, you know, I think he even said was not expecting himself to be in, even a few months ago. So he probably feels like quite relaxed and maybe a little bit less pressure than was on him a couple of, you know, the last couple of French Opens, for example.
“So, but I wouldn’t count Novak out, for sure, but it’s not going to be easy because he’s obviously missed quite a lot of tennis.”
No. 20 Taylor Fritz beat Kamil Majchrzak of Poland 6-1, 6-1.
“I think just my level as a player has gone up,” Fritz said to media. “I think I’ve gone up several levels. I think I’m a way better player than I was when I was here last year and I think I’ve improved a lot.
“So, yeah, I expect a lot more of myself. Back then when I think I was ranked about almost 40 six months ago, however long ago this tournament was, and now I’m in between 15 and 20. I’m looking, my goal is to move into the top-10. So I definitely have a lot higher expectations.”
Definitely (have) more confidence. How I’m kind of like approaching the tournaments definitely different than last year. Last year I wanted to, I really just needed like a win, a couple wins. And this year I’m looking obviously to take it one match at a time. But like I’m looking to go deep and have a similar result to last year.
Men’s seeds who lost on Sunday included No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada who lost to Germany’s Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-3, No. 24 Marin Cilic of Croatia went out 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (6) to Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia and Russia’s Aslan Karatsev lost to wild card Steve Johnson of the United States.
Other seeded men advancing were No. 6 Matteo Berrettini, No. 11 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 14 Diego Schwartzman, No. 23 John Isner, No. 28 Frances Tiafoe, No. 29, Alex de Minaur, No. 30 Lloyd Harris, No. 31 Alexander Bublik amd No. 33 Grigor Dimitrov.
In women’s action No. 3 Iga Swiatek moved past 29th seed Clara Tauson 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-1.
“I’m pretty happy that I was able to come back again this season from one set down,” Swiatek said to media. “I felt like physically I’m really well prepared and I could use all my strengths, even after two hours of playing, so I’m pretty proud of that.”
Petra Martic of Croatia beat No. 11 Emma Raducanu 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-5 in a match that lasted nearly three hours.
Playing on her 18th birthday, No. 16 seed Coco Gauff lost to No. 24 Simona Halep 6-3, 6-4.
“I thought she played well,” said Gauff. “I thought I had a lot of chances, a couple break points here and there. Overall I think it was a good match. She has a great level and I knew that coming into it. I think I was making the right decisions, just not executing them.”
“Definitely playing in Miami (Open)”. “That’s technically my home tournament,” noted the Delray Beach resident. “Only 30, 45 minutes away. I would say that, having some of my family being able to see me. Probably the only tournament they can see me in person.
“Clay season I’m looking forward to. I always have fun in Europe.”
“It was a little bit difficult because it was windy,” noted Halep. “I’m really pleased with the way I played. I think I played a smart tennis.
“Yeah, I’ve been focused and I moved pretty well.”
“I think I played smart tonight because from one side you had to play different, from the other side a little bit different. So I think I managed very well all the moments.
“I got a little bit frustrated at some points because I missed some balls that were super easy. But it happens. It was for both of us difficult.
“I just wanted to stay focused on actually what I thought before the match that I have to do, and I did it 100% right.”
Other women’s seeds advancing were: No. 15 Angelique Kerber, No. 25 Madison Keys, No. 26 Sorana Cirstea and No. 28 Ludmilla Samsonova. advanced 7-6 (4), 6-1 over Alison Riske.
More to follow…
