Canada’s Leylah Fernandez has been eliminated from the BNP Paribas Open.
The 19-year-old from Laval, Que., lost 6-4, 6-4 to defending champion Paula Badosa of Spain in Tuesday night’s round of 16 in Indian Wells, Calif.
Fernandez arrived at Indian Wells on the heels of a triumph at the Monterrey Open a week earlier, the second WTA title of her career.
Badosa drew first blood in the opening set when she broke for a 4-3 lead and although Fernandez hit back with a break, the Spaniard raised her level to take the early advantage in the contest.
After a sluggish start to the second set, she held serve in a five-deuce game to go up 5-3 before closing out the victory.
Badosa has not dropped a set at the WTA 1000 tournament in the Southern California desert, as she looks to secure only the fourth title of her career. She will next face either Veronika Kudermetova or Marketa Vondrousova.
Badosa defeated Victoria Azarenka in a three-hour final to win the 2021 BNP Paribas Open.
She is seeking to become the first woman to defend the Indian Wells title in over three decades
In other women’s fourth-round action, Madison Keys beat British qualifier Harriett Dart, 6-1, 6-4. Keys is the last American woman still in the tournament.
“I really just kind of buckled down,” Keys said. “If I got a second serve, I was going to be more aggressive. When I got the opportunity, I was going to go for it.”
No. 3 seed Iga Swiatek outlasted three-time major champion and former No. 1 player Angelique Kerber, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
“I felt like she wanted to use her experience and kind of trick me,” Swiatek said. “I like that because it’s like a new experience for me. I’m pretty proud of myself that I could win against such a smart player.”
Simona Halep, the 2015 champion, defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-4. The Romanians played for the first time in 12 years and have split their four meetings.
“I feel like I played perfect in the first set,” Halep said. “The second set was a little bit tougher because I started to miss. She started to play a little bit better. But I think it’s a strong victory for me.”
Petra Martic of Croatia defeated No. 28 Liudmila Samsonova, 7-6 (6), 6-4. No. 6 Maria Sakkari advanced when qualifier Daria Saville retired trailing 4-1 because of a left thigh injury.
