Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 13, 2022, Winnipeg, Manitoba B7SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2022 C M Y K PAGE B7 SPORTS I TENNIS ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM LIO ZITS THE ARGYLE SWEATER BIZARRO MOTHER GOOSE & GRIMM F MINUS PICKLES SIX CHIX CARPE DIEM I NDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Daniil Medvedev beat Tomas Machac 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, the Russian’s first tournament since ascending to No. 1 in the world. Medvedev made quick work of his Czech opponent, finishing Machac off in just over an hour. The Russian won 80% of his first-serve points and saved the lone break point he faced. Rafael Nadal didn’t have it as easy in opening his pursuit of a fourth title at Indian Wells. He got pushed to the limit by practice partner Sebastian Korda before winning 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (3), giving Nadal a 16-0 record this year. “I started to play a little bit more crosscourt with my forehand and with having a little bit more of calm,” Nadal said. “He made a couple mistakes and I was able to save myself.” Nadal won the Australian Open in January for his record 21st major championship, breaking a tie with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. He won other titles in Melbourne and in Mexico. Nadal trailed 5-2 in the third set before winning four straight games with two breaks of Korda to take a 6-5 lead. Korda held at 6-all to force the tie- breaker. The 38th-ranked Korda led 3-2 and then Nadal reeled off five straight points to close out the 2 1/2-hour match. “He’s one of the greatest players of all time. He’s super hot. Hasn’t lost a match this year,” Korda said. “To kind of push him to the edge was awesome. Shows a lot of my game, how dangerous it can be against tough opponents.” Before the match, Nadal withdrew from the Miami Open, which begins March 21. He is managing a chronic condition in his left foot. Canada’s Denis Shapovalov advanced to the third round when he rallied to defeat Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in a match lasted two hours 34 minutes. It was the Canadian’s first match of the tournament at Indian Wells after earning a first-round bye. The 13th-ranked Shapovalov found his rhythm and began pulling away in the decisive third set. He broke his opponent on three consecutive service games to take a 5-1 lead. He wrapped up the 43-minute third set with a lovely return on triple match point. Shapovalov finished the encounter with seven aces and 30 winners, and managed to overcome 57 unforced errors and nine double faults. The 22-year-old faces hard-serving American Reilly Opelka in the next round. After dropping the first set, Shapovalov battled back in the second. The difference was a lengthy seventh game that saw Davidovich Fokina, ranked No. 45 in the world, fight off four break points before the Canadian finally broke through on the fifth one. That was the only service break of the set. Later Saturday, Canada’s Leylah Fer- nandez, who recently defended her title at the Monterrey Open, advanced when American Amanda Anisimova retired before the deciding third set. Earlier this week, Medvedev re- ceived a trophy commemorating his status atop the ATP Tour rankings. He displaced Djokovic, who wasn’t allowed to enter the U.S. to play because he’s not vaccinated against COVID-19. Medvedev has to reach the quarter- finals in the desert to stay in the top spot. “If I’m going to lose it because I’m either going to play a bad match or my opponent is going to play an amazing one, there is the next tournament in Miami,” he said. “That’s how tennis is, every week is a new story. Right now it’s Indian Wells week and I want to make it a good story.” Medvedev is among players from Russia and Belarus competing at Indian Wells without flags, symbols or anthems as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision to eliminate their national identity was made by the International Tennis Federation and both tours. “It’s definitely not for me to decide,” Medvedev said. “I follow the rules. I want to play my favourite sport.” Other seeded men’s winners were: No. 8 Casper Ruud, defending cham- pion Cameron Norrie, No. 15 Roberto Bautista Agut, No. 17 Reilly Opelka and No. 19 Carlos Alcaraz. In women’s play, Jasmine Paolini upset second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the second round for the Italian’s first career win over a top-10 player. Sabalenka fired eight aces to go with 10 double faults. “After the first set I didn’t expect to win the match,” Paolini said. “But then point by point I started to believe it. I started to hit better the ball, deeper on the court.” Ranked 46th, Paolini won her first WTA Tour singles title last year and reached the top 50 after the Australian Open. Defending champion Paula Badosa beat Tereza Martincova 6-2, 7-6 (4). Badosa’s title in the desert in October began her rise from 70th in the world to the top 10. No. 9 Ons Jabeur lost to 409th-ranked Daria Saville 7-5, 6-7 (0), 6-4. Shelby Rogers, a quarterfinalist here last year, knocked out 10th-seeded Jelena Osta- penko 7-5, 7-6 (7). Other seeded winners were: No. 4 Anett Kontaveit, No. 6 Maria Sakkari and No. 27 Petra Kvitova. — The Associated Press Medvedev makes quick work of opponent MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Denis Shapovalov returns a shot to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina en route to victory at the BNP Paribas Open Saturday in Indian Wells, Calif. Canucks Shapovalov, Fernandez advance B_07_Mar-13-22_FP_01.indd 7 2022-03-12 10:25 PM ;