WTA Indian Wells Round-Up Day Four | Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula survive scares as Andreeva delivers double bagel

Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina were among the leading names to advance on a busy night at the 2026 Indian Wells, while defending champion Mirra Andreeva produced one of the most dominant performances of the tournament. Pegula recovered from a set down to defeat Donna Vekic, Keys secured a straight-sets victory over Diane Parry, and Rybakina battled past Hailey Baptiste in three sets.

Elsewhere, Swiatek had to recover from a difficult second set before closing out Kayla Day in a tie-break, while the teenage Andreeva delivered a remarkable double-bagel win in her return to Indian Wells. The night also brought a notable upset as Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng suffered an early exit, adding further intrigue to the developing draw in Tennis Paradise.

Defending champion Mirra Andreeva produced the most dominant performance of the session, defeating Solana Sierra in just 49 minutes without dropping a game. The 18-year-old teenager controlled the match from the opening exchanges and immediately established authority from the baseline.

Andreeva broke serve repeatedly in the opening set, dictating rallies with deep groundstrokes while Sierra struggled to find rhythm in the windy conditions. The Russian secured three consecutive breaks to wrap up the first set in convincing fashion.

The second set followed a nearly identical pattern. Sierra continued to commit unforced errors under pressure, while Andreeva remained composed and efficient in constructing points. Despite landing only 63% of her first serves, the defending champion handled her service games comfortably and saved the few break points she faced.

The emphatic victory sends Andreeva confidently into the third round as she begins her title defence in strong fashion at the tournament where she claimed the biggest title of her career last season.

Jessica Pegula recovered from a slow start to defeat Donna Vekic in three sets and secure her place in the third round at Indian Wells. The Croatian struck first in a tightly contested opening set, capitalising on a tense service game from Pegula at 4-5. A couple of untimely errors from the American handed Vekic two set points, and she converted on the second with a sharp crosscourt forehand to take the early advantage.

Pegula responded by raising her level significantly in the second set. The American improved her first-serve percentage and began to dictate more rallies from the baseline, forcing Vekic into longer exchanges. Two breaks of serve allowed Pegula to take control of the set and level the match at one set apiece.

The deciding set remained competitive, with Vekic creating several opportunities to break back after Pegula moved ahead early. However, the world No. 5 handled the pressure well in key moments, saving multiple break chances before securing another late break to close out the match. Pegula finished with eight aces and won 69% of points behind her first serve to seal the comeback victory.

Madison Keys produced a composed and efficient performance to defeat Diane Parry in straight sets and progress to the third round. The American relied on her powerful baseline game early in the contest, creating pressure on Parry’s serve while maintaining solid service games of her own.

The opening set remained relatively tight until the closing stages, when Keys managed to secure the decisive break. The American then served out the set confidently, maintaining control of the rallies with her aggressive forehand.

In the second set, both players traded early breaks before Keys once again regained the initiative. The 2025 Australian Open champion gradually tightened her control of the match, dictating play and forcing Parry onto the defensive. Keys ultimately finished strongly, winning the final four games in a row to seal the victory.

Her serve proved particularly important throughout the match. Keys landed 76% of first serves and saved eight of the nine break points she faced, demonstrating strong composure under pressure. She now advances to face Britain’s Sonay Kartal in the third round.

Elena Rybakina was pushed to three sets before overcoming American Hailey Baptiste and advancing to the next round. The 2023 Indian Wells champion faced a determined challenge from Baptiste, who has shown promising form early in the 2026 season.

The opening set was tightly contested, with both players holding serve comfortably through most of the exchanges. Rybakina eventually edged the set in a narrow tie-break, relying on her powerful serve to maintain control in the key moments. Baptiste responded impressively in the second set. The American began to take more initiative from the baseline and capitalised on a brief dip in Rybakina’s level, breaking early and maintaining the advantage to level the match at one set all.

However, Rybakina quickly regained control in the deciding set. The Kazakh improved her serving and began dictating points more consistently from the baseline, securing an early break before extending the lead. She maintained the momentum through the closing stages to seal the win and continue her campaign at Tennis Paradise.

Iga Swiatek appeared on course for a straightforward victory after racing through the opening set against Kayla Day. The world No. 2 dominated the early exchanges, winning a large percentage of return points and repeatedly putting pressure on Day’s serve.

Swiatek wrapped up the opening set in just 28 minutes with a commanding 6-0 scoreline, dictating play from the baseline and allowing the American little opportunity to settle into the match. However, the second set proved far more competitive. Day raised her level significantly and capitalised on a brief dip from Swiatek, breaking twice to surge into a 5-1 lead and move within touching distance of forcing a deciding set.

The Polish star responded with an impressive turnaround. Swiatek won five consecutive games to level the set at 6-6 before regaining full control in the tie-break. The five-time Grand Slam champion ultimately closed out the match in straight sets, avoiding a decider and booking her place in the third round.

One of the biggest surprises of the day came as Antonia Ruzic defeated Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng in straight sets. Windy conditions made clean ball-striking difficult for both players, but Ruzic adapted more effectively and remained composed in the crucial moments.

Zheng struggled to establish rhythm throughout the match, committing a series of unforced errors that allowed Ruzic to remain competitive in the rallies. After recovering from an early deficit, the Croatian won four of the final five games of the opening set to take the lead.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with Zheng attempting to increase the aggression in her groundstrokes but continuing to struggle with consistency. Ruzic capitalised on those mistakes and secured a late break to seal the victory. The early exit will have ranking implications for Zheng, who was unable to defend the quarter-final points she earned at Indian Wells last season.