{"id":76476,"date":"2022-03-15T13:21:37","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T13:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=76476"},"modified":"2022-03-15T13:21:37","modified_gmt":"2022-03-15T13:21:37","slug":"medvedev-tsitsipas-out-as-upsets-dominate-indian-wells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=76476","title":{"rendered":"Medvedev, Tsitsipas out as upsets dominate Indian Wells"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Sports Desk:<\/strong> Daniil Medvedev was sent crashing out of the ATP\/WTA Indian Wells Masters in a stunning defeat to Gael Monfils on Monday that ended the Russian's three-week reign as world number one.<\/p>\n

On a day of upsets in the California desert, Medvedev was the highest profile casualty to be sent packing, outfoxed 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 by veteran Frenchman Monfils.<\/p>\n

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The shocks continued in the evening session as Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas tumbled out to 21-year-old American Jenson Brooksby.<\/p>\n

Brooksby, ranked 43rd in the world, advanced to the last 16 with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win.<\/p>\n

Earlier, the 35-year-old Monfils scored his first victory over a world number one since 2009 with a superb display to dispose of US Open champion Medvedev.<\/p>\n

The defeat means Novak Djokovic will on Monday return to the top of the world rankings, three weeks after Medvedev became number one.<\/p>\n

Monfils sealed victory in 2hr 6min after converting his sixth match point.<\/p>\n

“I'm in my zone and I'm a tough opponent for anyone,” Monfils said. “It's been a long time since I've beaten a world number one, so I'm pretty happy.”<\/p>\n

Reigning US Open champion Medvedev had looked to be in control after taking the first set immediately after breaking Monfils for a 5-4 lead.<\/p>\n

But after Monfils took the second set — clinching with a cheeky underarm serve — Medvedev's composure evaporated in the decider.<\/p>\n

The Russian earned a code violation for smashing his racket in frustration after being broken in the first game, and Monfils raced through the gears to seal a deserved victory.<\/p>\n

Medvedev said he would aim to reclaim his number one ranking at the Miami Open next week.<\/p>\n

“Now I know I'm going to lose it (the ranking), so I have Miami to try to get it back,” Medvedev said.<\/p>\n

“Usually feeling a little bit better in Miami in terms of tennis, so we'll try to play good there.<\/p>\n

– Nadal marches on –<\/p>\n

“When I play my best tennis, my good tennis, it's really tough to beat me. But that's the toughest part of tennis is to reproduce it time after time.”<\/p>\n

Monfils, the 26th seed, will face talented young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round.<\/p>\n

Alcaraz, seeded 19, advanced to the last 16 with a confident 6-2, 6-0 demolition of compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut, the 15th seed.<\/p>\n

As Medvedev was left reflecting on his early exit, Rafael Nadal's unbeaten start to 2022 continued with a straight-sets defeat of Britain's Dan Evans.<\/p>\n

The 21-time Grand Slam champion recorded his 17th straight victory of the year with a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of the 27th seed.<\/p>\n

“Today was a step forward,” Spain's Nadal said. “There is no other chance but play very well the next day if I want to keep going. If not, I'm going to go home.”<\/p>\n

Nadal will play Reilly Opelka in the last 16 after the American 17th seed downed Canada's Denis Shapovalov, seeded 13, 6-7 (4\/7), 6-4, 6-4.<\/p>\n

– Azarenka tears –<\/p>\n

In the women's singles, Veronika Kudermetova advanced to the last 16 after her Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova retired in the second set at 6-4, 0-2.<\/p>\n

Greece's Maria Sakkari, looking to build on a breakout 2021 which included two Grand Slam semi-finals appearances, overwhelmed another Czech, Petra Kvitova, in straight sets.<\/p>\n

Sakkari booked her place in the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over the two-time Wimbledon champion.<\/p>\n

After the tearful exit of four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka on Saturday, there was another emotional flashpoint as Victoria Azarenka succumbed to Kazakh 17th seed Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-4.<\/p>\n

Rybakina's victory was overshadowed by a bizarre incident which came while Azarenka prepared to serve while trailing 6-3, 2-2.<\/p>\n

Play was held up for several minutes as the 32-year-old two-time Australian Open champion dissolved into floods of tears, waving away intervention from the chair umpire saying “I'm sorry, I'm really sorry.”<\/p>\n

Rybakina described the incident as a “very strange situation”.<\/p>\n

“I just hope everything is good with Vika because I don't know what happened,” she said. “Hope everything is okay.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk: Daniil Medvedev was sent crashing out of the ATP\/WTA Indian Wells Masters in a stunning defeat to Gael Monfils on Monday that ended the Russian’s three-week reign as world number one. On a day of upsets in the California desert, Medvedev was the highest profile casualty to be sent packing, outfoxed 4-6, 6-3, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":76477,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n