The round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells was set Monday as the third round drew to a close with few surprises. Gauff, Sabalenka, and Sakkari all advanced in two-set matches with just enough trouble to keep them on their toes but evading the tighter threats they faced in earlier matches.
Coco Gauff defeated Lucia Bronzetti 6-2 7-6(5). The American had rushed a quick first set before the Italian’s unique style began to slow her down, both physically and in the scoreline. The young star, playing her last tournament as a teenager later told the media, “She hits the ball really flat and low and doesn’t give you a lot of speed to generate so you have to do all the generating yourself, which is something you’re not used to a lot in the women’s game because a lot of the players are power players.