IN a second consecutive day of upsets, world number one Ash Barty was the only favourite to advance through to the quarter finals, completing the last eight in the WTA Indian Wells fantasy tennis tournament. Barty joined Garbine Muguruza, Maria Sakkari and Donna Vekic in the quarters after the trio downed top six players in huge upsets.

It was business as usual for Barty, who defeated 24th seed Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3 7-5 and made her way through to the quarter finals. She broke early in the match to take a 3-1 lead and then held on to secure the set 6-3, with a late break in the second set the difference there. She will now play 21st seed Vekic, who knocked out the sixth seed, Belinda Bencic.

In an almost identical result to the Barty-Alexandrova match, Vekic triumphed 6-4 7-5 with a couple of breaks in each set the key difference between herself and her Swiss opponent. Both players were equally matched across the court with a number of big winners, but also unforced errors as they looked to go the distance. But a crucial break by Vekic in the 11th game of the second set really consolidated the match and sealed her victory.

In the other quarter of the top half of the draw, both the fourth and fifth seeded bowed out in a couple of shock results. Australian Open runner-up Muguruza sent Ukrainian fourth seed, Elina Svitolina out of the tournament in straight sets, racing to a 6-1 lead after one set in just 33 minutes. It was a much tighter second set and the Ukrainian put up more of a fight throughout it, but it still went the same way with the 14th seed Spaniard breaking three times to two and the final time was for the match to seal it 6-1 7-5.

Meanwhile Sakkari took out fifth seed Dutchwoman, Kiki Bertens in a come-from-behind three-set win in two hours and 36 minutes. The Greek up-and-comer dropped the first set with a couple of disappointing service games 6-3, but then bounced back to break midway through the second set. She levelled the match with a 6-4 set of her how, before breaking in the second game of the final set, and then again in the final game of the match winning 3-6 6-4 7-5.

All four players have their quarter finals tomorrow, with Barty and Vekic later in the evening, and Muguruza and Sakkari last up. During the day session, Serena Williams take on Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka faces off against Elena Rybakina.

ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[1] Ash Barty (AUS) defeated [24] Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-3 7-5
[14] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated [4] Elina Svitolina (UKR) 6-1 7-5
[18] Maria Sakkari (GRE) defeated [5] Kiki Bertens (NED) 3-6 6-4 7-6
[21] Donna Vekic (CRO) defeated [6] Belinda Bencic (SUI) 6-4 7-5