The temperature may be fairly mild, but that doesn’t mean the heat is missing from the courts at Indian Wells. Yes, things are heating up thanks in part to #TeamSoCal and friends, and an entertaining weekend of high level tennis is about to begin.
Let’s start with Friday’s action. The much anticipated doubleheader between Steve Johnson (Redondo Beach) and Taylor Fritz (Rancho Palos Verdes) did not disappoint, especially on the doubles court. The two met twice on Friday, once in the first round of Men’s singles and then in evening doubles action. First, the matinee was dominated by Johnson, who cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 win. A sentimental favorite, Johnson admitted after the match that it was an emotional win, a victory on the same court where his late father “Big Steve” had watched him so many times before. Johnson’s groundstrokes came with a little more zip and the crowd roared in approval as he moves on to a date with Denis Shapovalov in the next round.
The drama moved later to Stadium 4, as Fritz teamed with the volatile and talented Aussie Nick Kyrgios to meet Johnson and Dominic Thiem. The roles were reversed in the nightcap, an entertaining affair that saw Fritz/Kyrgios battle to secure the first set then cruise to victory in the second. Kyrgios was the aggressor in this one, ripping forehand returns with immense power, much to the delight of the awed crowd. The tandem move on to meet the #6 seed Kubot/Melo.
Serena Williams brought the crowd to its feet with an opening win, a straight set victory over Victoria Azarenka. The two played equal tennis in the first set, but Williams held tough to carry out a 7-5, 6-3 win. It was her 17th opposite Azareka in 21 matches, and while Azarenka played statistically stronger in most facets, Williams won the big points when it mattered and capitalized on that momentum time and again. Williams meets Garbine Muguruza next.
Jared Donaldson (Irvine) won his opening match of the campaign on Friday, a convincing win over qualifier Tatsuma Ito of Japan, 6-3, 7-5. Donaldson launched eight aces in the match, his first ATP Tour win of the year. Donaldson will have his work cut out for him moving forward – he meets Rafael Nadal in the next round.
Mackenzie McDonald, the former UCLA Bruin, picked up a win during the evening session. The 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Joao Souza gives “Mackie” another win over a higher ranked opponent, as Sousa sits about 20 slots above the young American. McDonald won all four of his break point opportunities and stroked six aces in the match, and he next faces Daniil Medvedev, the #14 seed.
In other weekend matchups, Sam Querrey (Santa Monica) faces #13 Milos Raonic (Saturday afternoon, Stadium 3). Querrey and teammate John Isner (the latter a doubles champion last year at Indian Wells) took the top seeded tandem of Hubert/Mahut to the brink on Friday, stealing the first set in a tiebreak before dropping a tiebreaking set in a 6-7, 6-4, 12-10 win for the Frenchmen.
Saturday highlights will include Marcos Giron (11am, Stadium 4) opposite Alex de Minaur, Venus Williams against #3 Petra Kvitova, Bob & Mike Bryan vs. Khachanov/Madvedev, and Kaitlyn Christian/Asia Muhammad facing Muguruza/Suarez Navarro.
After 6pm on Stadium 1, top seeds Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka will make their 2019 BNP debuts.