BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, CA, 2026 - WTA 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

Iga gets the early break in the 2nd set, Muchova really not playing well at all, needs to address her UFE count, also there is no need to go for the lines on shots., fhand letting her down.
Swiatek consolidates her break and leads 3-0
That is 8 games in a row for Iga and gets the double break and leads 4-0
Iga 5-0 hopefully Muchova can at least get on the board in the 2nd set, Iga has had the wood on Muchova and leads their H2H 4-1, looks like it will be 5-1 when this match is over.
Swiatek d Muchova 62 60, Iga just too good today, a bad day at the office for Muchova
Swiatek will play the winner of Svitolina v Siniakova in the QF

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just tuning into Pegula v Bencic match
Pegula leads 4-1 1st set
Interesting H2H between these 2 players Bencic leads 4-0 though their last match was in 2023 in Charleston, Bencic won in SS
Bencic had her chances to break, but Pegula stood firm, with good 1st serves
Pegula 5-2
Pegula will serve for the 1st set 5-3
On her 4th SP Pegula wins the 1st set 63, this is the 1st set Pegula has won against Bencic
Bencic broke Pegula and Pegula broke straight back early in the 2nd set, Bencic's 2nd serve is an area she needs to improve, has been one of the area's of her game quite frankly she has never improved
Jess breaks with a great fhand down line
Jess converts the break as leads 4-2
Jess will now serve for the match at 5-4 and a place in the QFs
Bencic will a fhand winner down the line breaks Jess as she was serving for the match
Back on serve 5 all
Jess will serve to force a TB in 2nd set 5-6
6 all TB for the 2nd set, Bencic to serve first
MP No 3 for Jess 6-5 though it is on Bencic serve
On her 3 MP Jess gets it done
Pegula 63 76 (5) her first win over Bencic in 5 attempts , Jess played the Big points better!
Jess will play the winner of Rybakina v Kartal in the QFs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Siniakova forced to retire in her match against Svitolina 16 1 all in the 2nd set

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Another retirement
Kartal retires in the 2nd set against Rybakina 3-4 lost the 1st set 64

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Results of Round of 16 matches,
Bottom Half of the draw,
Wednesday March 11,

Seeds through,
Swiatek (2) Pegula (5)

Seeds that lost
Muchova (13) Bencic (12)

Sad to say both Venus Williams/Christian Harrison and Leylah Ferandez/John Peers both lost their mixed doubles matches

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

QF Matches,
Thursday 12th March,

Sabalenka (1) vs Mboko (10) Sabalenks leads their H2H 1-0
Rybakina (3) vs Pegula Rybakina leads their H2H 4-3
Noskova (14) vs Q Gibson First meeting
Swaitek (2) vs Svitilona Swaitek leads their H2H 4-1

 

[britbox]

Video Highlights



Getting juicy at the business end.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Siniakova who retired in her match yesterday to Svitlolina due to a right hip injury is playing in the SFs in the doubles today Thursday with her partner Townsend they are the 3rd seeds vs the No 1 seeds Errani/Paolini that was a quick recovery!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Saba and Mboko on court
Saba won the toss and will serve
Saba has never won the title in IW she has made the finals twice in 2023 and 2025
Saba too many ufe on her fhand early in this match 5 already
Vicky playing well, making Saba earn every point
Both players have had BP chances, unable to convert, a tight contest so far
Vicky will serve at 5-6 to force at TB for the 1st set
6 games all TB for the 1st set, Sabalenka to serve first
Saba off to a great lead in the TB leading 5-0 Vicky too many ufe and too passive
Saba 6-0 a great bhand which has been on 'fire' in this match
Saba wins the 1st set 76(0) a dominating TB from Saba, Saba 24-2 over the past year

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sabalenka finally converts one of her BP chances in the match 1/6 so far as Vicky bhand long
Saba 3-2 2nd set and converts the break
Saba 4-2
Vickys DFs 8 so far in this match have cost her in big points today, her 2nd serve is an area she needs to improve
Saba after being serving well so far all of a sudden produces 2 DFs lol!
Vicky has had 5BPs chances and Saba has saved them all
Saba survives a couple of BPs on her serve, if the sun is in your eyes put a cap on simple Saba!
Saba leads 5-3, Vicky keeps it close
Saba will serve for the match 5-4 and for a place in the SFs
Saba's DFs 4 of them are coming from the duece side for some reason in this match
Saba d Mboko 76(0) 64 not lost a set so far, into the SFs
Vicky keep working hard, your 2nd serve let you down today when it mattered, well done making the QF at IW

 

[Murat B.]

Saba is too strong. Mbko will get there with a couple of adjustments. Good fight. I like her attitude.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Saba is too strong. Mbko will get there with a couple of adjustments. Good fight. I like her attitude.

Vicky is a very talented player at 19 yo she is in the Top Ten, it is the 2nd serve that let her down today in tight moments,, she has a great overall game

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Next QF match,
Noskova (14) vs Q Gibson
Noskova too good for Gibson in the 1st set 62, she has picked up where she left off in her previous match against Eala
The Aussie Q has regained her composure, not as erratic as in the 1st set broke Noskova and consolidated the break leads 2-1, Gibson has a good 1st serve and is a big hitter of the ball.
Gibson remains on track in this 2nd set and leads 5-3
Gibson will serve for the 2nd set 5-4 and she has 3 SP
Gibson with a love service game to win the 2nd set 64 calm and composed in the 2nd set
Going 3
Noskova has regained the lead in the 3rd set and went back to what she was doing well in the 1st and leads 4-1
Well done to Noskova she re-grouped and won the match 62 46 62 and is into the SF
Well done to the Aussie Q who made her first WTA1000 QF

 

[Murat B.]

Vicky is a very talented player at 19 yo she is in the Top Ten, it is the 2nd serve that let her down today in tight moments,, she has a great overall game

It is ladies turn this year to play in Toronto for the Roger's Cup so I will be there to stalk Mboko's coach until he talks to me for 3 minutes. And then I will show him the video below, explain how he looks at the contact point and does not move the head until the ball is long gone. Rest is up to him.
Nah, he will not give me the time and I do not have the time to chase anyone but the point remains.

 

[tennisfan87]

So 6-2 6-4 for Saba. I was pretty close, only one game off. Only saw the first set. Naomi is still pretty far away to me. She needs 3 sets against some garden variety scrubs, and when she faces the top 12, she gets handled.

I hope to see Naomi return to her old self. She really needs to call up Sasha! I feel she hasn't been the same since they parted.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It is ladies turn this year to play in Toronto for the Roger's Cup so I will be there to stalk Mboko's coach until he talks to me for 3 minutes. And then I will show him the video below, explain how he looks at the contact point and does not move the head until the ball is long gone. Rest is up to him.
Nah, he will not give me the time and I do not have the time to chase anyone but the point remains.

You know Murat sometimes players, junior players, most likely get into bad habits like not keeping your head still on fhand and back hand shots. I will look out for your stalking btw hopefully Vicky can in the future not bob her head soo much

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I hope to see Naomi return to her old self. She really needs to call up Sasha! I feel she hasn't been the same since they parted.

Welcome you are new to the WTA TF
Sasha is presently working with Diana Shnaider since August last year, do you really think if she rang him he would coach her again, Osaka really needs to work on her movement, for starters, she stated that at the start of this year, a lot of players expose it

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The next QF match is Swiatek (2) vs Svitolina (9)
Impressive start from Elina leading 5-1, though early days, can she keep it up for the whole match that is the question
Elina will serve for the 1st set 5-2
Elina wins 6-2 with an Ace!

 

[kskate2]

I hope to see Naomi return to her old self. She really needs to call up Sasha! I feel she hasn't been the same since they parted.

I can't remember all the details, but they had a bad falling out. She even unfriended him on social media. I don't think she can go back to him. She'll have to incorporate some changes w/ her new team. Movement is one, she needs to be more solid on serve and I'm not entirely convinced her fitness is on par. She has the tendency to bail out of points early and go for a risky shot. She can get away w/ it against lower ranked players, but when she faces anyone who really knows how to play, her rally tolerance gets tested, she panics and bails.