Indian Wells, also outside Arnaldi and Bronzetti. Only Paolini advances

Without Jannik Sinner, Italy cannot qualify any player In the round of 16 of the men’s singular in the “Bnp Paribas Open”, the first Masters 1000 of the season, staged on the Californian concrete of Indian Wells with total prize pool of 8,963,700 dollars. The last to resist was Matteo Arnaldi: the 24-year-old Sanremo tennis player, number 35 of the world ranking, was clearly exceeded in the third round by the American Brandon Nakashima, n.33 ATP and 32nd series head, which imposed himself for 6-2 6-4 in just 74 minutes of play. Ottavi reached, however, by Carlos Alcaraz and Taylor Fritz, respectively second and third strength of seeding: the Spaniard tamed the Canadian Denis Shapovalov (27) for 6-4 6-4, the American imposed himself for 4-6 6-3 6-1 on the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (30). Other results of the third round: Ben Shelton (USA, 11) b. Karen Khachanov (Russ, 22) 6-3 7-5 Grigor Dimitrov (Bul, 14) b. Gael Monfils (Fra) 7-6 (4) 4-6 7-6 (2).

On the female front, Jasmine Paolini remained the only Italian still running in the tournament. During the night the Tuscan tennis player, number 6 of the world ranking and the scoreboard ranking, reached the round of 16, folding in two hours and 23 minutes of play in the third round, with the score of 6-4 3-6 6-4, the Romanian Jaqueline Cristian, n.79 WTA. For a place in the quarterfinals, the 29-year-old from Bagni di Lucca will face Liudmila Samsonova, number 25 in the world and 24 of seeding, which has imposed itself in comeback in the all-Russian derby with Daria Kasatkina, series head number 12, for 2-6 6-3 6-2. Samsonova won both previous comparisons with Paolini, in qualifying in St. Petersburg in 2019 and in the first round at the Australian Open in 2023.

Nothing to do, however, for Lucia Bronzetti, who as per prediction has clearly surrendered to the No. 1 of the Ranking WTA and the tournament: the 26-year-old from Romagna in fact gives in to the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka for 6-1 6-2 in an hour and 14 minutes of match. Other results of the third round: Bencic (SUL) b. Shnaider (Rus, 13) 6-4 6-4 Vekic (Cro, 19) b. Navarro (USA, 10) 7-6 (5) 6-1