Sabalenka ‘super-focused’ for Indian Wells win

“Super-focused” world number one Aryna Sabalenka hit 23 winners as she beat Jaqueline Cristian to move into the fourth round at Indian Wells.

The Belarusian, 27, had been on track to take the opening set but double faulted as she looked to serve it out.

A swift break back allowed the four-time Grand Slam champion to take it 6-4, though, and she followed that by winning the second set 6-1 to seal victory.

“I knew that she was not going to give up easily,” Sabalenka said of Romanian Cristian, the world number 35.

“That’s why I was super-focused, especially on my serve. I didn’t want to give her much opportunity so [I was] super-happy with the serving, with the game and of course with the win.”

She will next face 16th-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan, who beat Colombian Camila Osorio 6-1 3-6 6-1.

Osaka, another four-time Grand Slam champion, is playing her first tournament since withdrawing before her Australian Open third-round match in January with an abdominal injury.

Other third-round match-ups in California include Britain’s Emma Raducanu taking on sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova, while fourth-ranked Coco Gauff, also of the US, is drawn against rising Philippines player Alexandra Eala.

In the men’s competition, fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev was taken to three sets but held off American Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (7/2) 5-7 6-4.