Unseeded Thompson beats third-ranked Tsitsipas at Indian Wells
Unseeded Australian Jordan Thompson advanced to the third round of the Indian Wells WTA and ATP Masters by defeating third-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (7/0), 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) on Friday.
"It's incredible at a Masters 1000... "To have a win like that is incredible," said Thompson, the world number 87, whose only previous victory over a top-10 player came in 2017 at Queen's Club against Andy Murray.
He admitted he felt lucky when Tsitsipas's stinging forehand on match point was ruled a hair wide.
"I'm glad that last ball was out — I thought it was in," Thompson said to the crowd on the court.
While Tsitsipas led the third-set tiebreaker 2-1 and 4-3, Thompson's calm under pressure paid off when Tsitsipas smacked a forehand into the net, giving the Australian a match point before succumbing with the near miss.
Thompson will play Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo next, who defeated American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (15/13).
Tsitsipas suffered another setback following his stunning run to the Australian Open final in January.
Despite losing to Novak Djokovic in the title match, he left Melbourne energized, but he soon suffered a shoulder injury.
Tsitsipas, who is playing in his first tournament since a second-round exit in Rotterdam, admitted earlier this week that his shoulder was still bothering him and that he didn't have high hopes for a third Masters 1000 title.
Tsitsipas and women's second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who is playing in only her second tournament since winning the Australian Open, led the second-round action on Friday.
Sabalenka advanced to the third round with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Evginiya Rodina, who was playing her eighth match since returning to competition at last year's US Open after a three-year absence.
"I'm happy to win this match in two sets without having to struggle too much," Sabalenka, who has never advanced past the round of 16 in the California desert, said.
Sabalenka, who is still barred from competing under her native Belarus flag due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, will face Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, who defeated 29th-seeded Croatian Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
In other women's matches, last year's runner-up Maria Sakkari saved Greek pride by defeating American Shelby Rogers 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Sakkari came back from a 1-4 deficit in the second set after rain halted play for about 90 minutes.
She held serve in the fifth game, fending off five break points despite three double faults, and broke Rogers to take the set.
The American, who had won all three previous meetings, was trailing 3-0 in the third when she received treatment on her right calf, and Sakkari stormed to victory.
Medvedev crushes the fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who had won three straight ATP titles in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai, continued his hot streak with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over American Brandon Nakashima.
Medvedev didn't face a break point in the first set, but had to fight off half a dozen in an entertaining second set before breaking Nakashima's serve for the third time.
"There were some tough moments in the match, tough break point saves, and I'm glad I got through," Medvedev said. "I could have done better on return a few times in the second set to possibly make my life easier, but he also played some great points."
Casper Ruud, former champion Cameron Norrie, and 12th-seeded Alexander Zverev all advanced to the third round in straight sets.
Ruud's 6-2, 6-3 win over former top-10 Argentinian Diego Schwartzman was a confidence booster in a season in which he had yet to advance past the second round in three tour-level tournaments.
Norrie, on the other hand, won 6-2, 6-4 over Taiwanese qualifier Wu Tung-lin, continuing his form that saw him reach finals in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro last month, falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the first and beating him in the second.
Germany's Zverev, who is attempting to rebuild his career after ankle ligament damage at the French Open last year, defeated Argentina's Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-1.
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