Former world number 7 Madison Keys edged Kaia Kanepi 6-0 7-5 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Keys cruised through to a bagel win in the first set after 15 minutes and won nine straight games. The US player reeled off 21 consecutive points to build up a 6-0 3-1 lead. As Keys was serving at 6-0 3-1 40-40, Kanepi won 15 consecutive points and served for the second set at 5-4. Keys broke serve for the sixth time in the 10th to draw level to 5-5 and closed out the second set 7-5 after 69 minutes setting up a second round match against Roland Garros finalist Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova.
“Every time you play Kaia you know at any moment she can start making all her shots. She is such a great player. So I had to come up with some pretty good shots to get that back. I am happy with how I was able to manage that second set and get the win”, said Keys.
Keys and Pavlyuchenkova have tied 2-2 four times in their four head-to-head matches. Keys beat Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 1-6 6-0 in their only match on hard court in the 2016 Montreal quarter finals.
Hsieh Su-Wei held off a late comeback by Madison Brengle to seal a 6-1 7-6 (7-4) win after 1 hour and 23 minutes. Hsieh Su-Wei set up a second round match against Jelena Ostapenko.
Shelby Rogers claimed her 25th win of the season, beating Anhelina Kalinina 7-6 (7-2) 6-2. Rogers will take on this year’s Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic in the second round. Rogers beat world number 1 Ashleigh Barty to reach the Round of 16 at the US Open.
Rogers broke Kalinina six times and hit 30 winners. Kalinina earned 10 breaks and made 13 double faults.
World number 100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich cruised through to a 6-0 6-4 win over Maria Camila Osorio Serrano setting up a second round match against this year’s US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who will make her debut at Indian Wells.
Petra Martic beat US wildcard Katie Volynets 6-4 6-4 to reach the second round, where she will face 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek.
This year’s US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez will make her first appearance against Alizé Cornet, who beat Elena Gabriela Ruse 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
This year’s Portoroz champion Jasmine Paolini beat qualifier Mai Hontana 6-0 3-6 6-2 to reach her first main draw at Indian Wells. The Italian player will take on Elise Mertens.