Top-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova fell at the first hurdle as Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro defeated the women's World No. 3 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.
It was the second straight year that Kuznetsova lost in the second round at Indian Wells, a tournament where she has had two runner-up finishes but never won.
Suarez Navarro, ranked 42nd in the world, called her 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 triumph over Kuznetsova “one of the most important matches of my life,” but it was clear Kuznetsova was well off the form that saw her capture the French Open last year.
Nadal advances
Reigning champion Rafael Nadal, playing his first tennis match in more than a month, reached the third round with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Rainer Schuettler.
Nadal hadn't played since retiring with a right knee injury while trailing Andy Murray by two sets in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January.
Nadal's victory over Schuettler offered little opportunity to gauge his game given the chilly, windy conditions that prevailed as darkness fell in the California desert.
“When I went to practice in the morning, it was perfect conditions,” Nadal said. “And when I went on court, the weather completely changed, so it was difficult to adapt.
Nadal, who sped to a 5-1 lead with two breaks of serve in the opening set, then lost three games in a row before closing out the set.
He needed only one break of serve, in the seventh game, and didn't face a break point in the second frame as he closed out the match.
Nadal said he felt comfortable on his forehand, but had particular trouble with the wind behind him on his backhand.
“I feel if I only touch the ball, the ball was out,” said Nadal, who was pleased to get the victory under his belt.
“The only thing is try to win the match, play acceptable, and I did.”
Nadal next faces Croatian Mario Ancic, a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 winner over France's Julien Benneteau.
Djokovic survives
Serbian Novak Djokovic, seeded second behind Roger Federer in the first Masters 1000 tournament of 2010, survived some erratic play to emerge with a 6-1, 0-6, 6-2 victory over American Mardy Fish — the man Djokovic beat in the final here in 2008.
Djokovic blazed through the first set in 39 minutes — then dropped the second in just 28.
Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat eighth-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6 (1), 6-0, but Spanish 10th seed Fernando Verdasco made it safely through. Verdasco, who won his fourth career ATP title last month in San Jose, booked his third round berth with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Paraguayan qualifier Ramon Delgado.
The results: Men: Second round: Rafael Nadal bt Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4; Viktor Troicki bt Pablo Cuevas 1-0 (retd.); Fernando Verdasco bt Ramon Delgado 6-4, 6-1; Brian Dabul bt Gilles Simon 7-5, 6-4; Nikolay Davydenko bt Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-4; Mario Ancic bt Julien Benneteau 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3; Ivan Ljubicic bt Ryan Harrison 6-2, 7-6(2); Guillermo Garcia-Lopez bt Marin Cilic 7-6(1), 6-0; Tomas Berdych bt Florent Serra 7-5, 4-6, 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Daniel Koellerer 6-3, 6-0; Thomaz Bellucci bt Carlos Moya (w/o): John Isner bt Kevin Anderson 6-3, 7-5; Philipp Kohlschreiber bt Philipp Petzschner 6-3, 6-2; Juan Monaco bt Fabio Fognini 6-4, 7-5; Sam Querrey bt Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4; Novak Djokovic bt Mardy Fish 6-1, 0-6, 6-2.
Women: Second round: Yanina Wickmayer bt Julia Goerges 6-2, 6-4; Agnes Szavay bt Chan Yung-Jan 6-3, 6-2; Victoria Azarenka bt Sybille Bammer 6-1, 7-5; Maria Jose Martinez bt Alexandra Dulgheru 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Flavia Pennetta bt Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3; Carla Suarez Navarro bt Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
Kim Clijsters bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-2, 6-1; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova bt Karolina Sprem 6-3, 6-1; Alisa Kleybanova bt Tsvetana Pironkova 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1; Samantha Stosur bt Julie Coin 6-1, 7-6(4); Shahar Peer bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-2, 6-3 Jelena Jankovic bt Petra Martic 6-3, 7-6(2); Vera Zvonareva bt Sloane Stephens 6-4, 7-5; Roberta Vinci bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5; Sara Errani bt Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 6-4; Anastasija Sevastova bt Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-4.
