WTA Indian Wells Day One Round-Up | Badosa and Andreescu headline early shocks in Tennis Paradise

First-round action at Indian Wells produced a series of notable results on the women’s side, including an upset defeat for Paula Badosa and a dramatic comeback victory for Jaqueline Cristian. Yulia Putintseva advanced in straight sets against the former champion, while Kamilla Rakhimova recovered from a set down to eliminate Bianca Andreescu. Elsewhere, Zeynep Sonmez delivered a commanding performance to defeat McCartney Kessler.

The opening day also featured several tight contests that extended deep into deciding sets. Cristian produced one of the most resilient performances of the session to overcome Janice Tjen after nearly three hours on court, while Sorana Cirstea battled past Tatjana Maria in three sets. The results set the stage for intriguing second-round matchups as several seeded players now await.

Yulia Putintseva secured one of the most significant results of the opening round with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Paula Badosa, capitalising on the Spaniard’s struggles on serve throughout the match.

The opening set proved competitive early on, with Badosa briefly recovering a break deficit to level the score. However, the Kazakh player proved more efficient at key moments. After Badosa missed two break-point opportunities at 3-3, Putintseva seized control shortly afterward with a decisive break before serving out the set.

Momentum shifted firmly in Putintseva’s favour at the start of the second set. The former Top 20 player raced to a double-break lead as Badosa’s difficulties intensified. The Spaniard committed 10 double faults and won just 24% of points behind her second serve, allowing Putintseva to dictate the rallies and maintain control.

Putintseva’s consistency on serve also played a major role. She landed 76% of first serves and won 74% of those points, rarely allowing Badosa opportunities to build pressure. By contrast, the Spaniard managed to hold just four of nine service games. The victory sends Putintseva into the second round against Clara Tauson, continuing a positive run for the Kazakh player at Indian Wells after also reaching the second round last year.

For Badosa, the defeat marks another setback in her attempt to rebuild momentum following a difficult period with injuries that have seen her ranking fall outside the Top 100.

Kamilla Rakhimova produced one of the most striking turnarounds of the day, defeating Bianca Andreescu 6-7, 6-0, 6-1 after recovering from a tightly contested opening set.

Andreescu initially appeared in control of the match. The Canadian secured the early break and maintained pressure on return before edging the first set in a tense tie-break. Rakhimova had held three set points in the breaker but was unable to convert, allowing Andreescu to win five consecutive points and steal the set.

The momentum shift in the second set was immediate. Rakhimova began dictating rallies with greater aggression while Andreescu’s level dropped significantly. The Russian reeled off six consecutive games, breaking serve three times to deliver a bagel set and force a decider.

Andreescu appeared physically hampered during that stretch and requested a medical time-out, struggling to maintain consistency from the baseline as unforced errors accumulated. The decisive set quickly moved in Rakhimova’s direction. After securing the early break, she maintained relentless pressure on Andreescu’s serve and eventually closed the match by winning six of the final seven games.

Statistically, the difference came on second serve performance. Rakhimova won 65% of second-serve points, compared to Andreescu’s 39%, allowing her to control many of the longer exchanges. The victory sends Rakhimova into a second-round clash with fourth seed Coco Gauff, presenting one of the standout matches of the next stage.

Jaqueline Cristian produced one of the most dramatic performances of the session, defeating Janice Tjen 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) after two hours and 45 minutes. Tjen appeared in control for long stretches of the contest. The American claimed the opening set and then established a 3-0 lead in the deciding set, placing Cristian under significant pressure.

The Romanian responded with resilience. Cristian gradually rebuilt momentum by improving her consistency from the baseline and forcing longer rallies, eventually recovering the deficit and pushing the match into a deciding tie-break. Once there, the world No. 35 managed the key moments more effectively, maintaining composure to close out the match and complete the comeback.

The statistics reflected the competitive nature of the encounter. Cristian struck six aces and won 65% of points behind her first serve, while also saving 12 of 16 break points — a critical factor in keeping the match alive during several difficult service games. The victory sends Cristian into the second round against 29th seed Maya Joint, where she will look to build on the momentum from one of the longest matches of the opening day.

Zeynep Sonmez advanced to the second round with a convincing 7-6(7), 6-0 victory over McCartney Kessler, turning a closely contested opening set into a commanding finish. Kessler initially made the stronger start, winning 12 of the first 13 points to race into a 3-0 lead. Sonmez gradually recovered, stabilising her service games and forcing the set into a tie-break.

The breaker proved intense, with both players holding chances before the Turkish player finally secured it 9-7 after more than an hour of play.

From that point onward, the match became one-sided. Sonmez dominated the second set, conceding just four points on serve while consistently exposing Kessler’s second delivery. She won 89% of points when Kessler was forced to hit a second serve, converting three of four break opportunities.

The Turkish player closed the match with a bagel set to secure her place in the next round, where she will face 23rd seed Anna Kalinskaya.

Camila Osorio advanced to the second round after defeating Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-1, producing a composed performance against the former US Open champion.

The opening set proved competitive early on, with both players struggling to hold serve. By the time the score reached 3-3, each had already secured two breaks. The set stabilised slightly in the closing stages, but Osorio proved more effective on the key points. At 4-5, Stephens faced break point for the fourth time in the set, and the Colombian capitalised to secure the decisive break and claim the opener.

From there the momentum shifted clearly in Osorio’s favour. The Colombian dominated the second set against a Stephens who struggled to find rhythm, quickly moving ahead with two early breaks to take control of the match.

Stephens briefly recovered one of the breaks, but Osorio maintained the pressure from the baseline and continued attacking the American’s serve. She eventually secured a third break late in the set to close out the victory.

Osorio now advances to the second round, where she will face 18-year-old American rising star Iva Jovic.