Badosa defeats Fernandez to maintain undefeated streak at Indian Wells

Defending champion Paula Badosa kept her foot on the gas at the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells on Tuesday night, fighting past Leylah Fernandez to secure her quarterfinal berth.

The fifth seed produced a splendid performance to obtain the 6-4 6-4 win, overcoming an impressive display from Fernandez who made life difficult for the 2021 champion.

Both ladies traded blows from the baseline, but it was the Spaniard's consistency that saw her secure the first set after the pair had exchanged breaks. Badosa's serving was superb, as she won 13 of 16 points behind her first serve.

However, the World No.7 seemed to lose concentration in the second, hitting five double faults as she was forced to save four break points. Nonetheless, a single break was enough to give the Spaniard the lead, allowing her to close out the match after an hour and 42 minutes.

After lifting the title in 2021, Badosa will hope to continue her undefeated streak in the desert when she faces either Veronika Kudermetova or Marketa Vondrousova in the quarterfinals.