FORMER world number one Caroline Wozniacki is through to her first WTA Tour quarter final in four years after defeating German Angelique Kerber to reach the last eight at Indian Wells. The Danish veteran won in straight sets, 6-4 6-2 to book her place in the next round, playing some inspired tennis.

Though both players are past the peak of their powers, they put on a show for the Indian Wells crowd in the pair’s 16th meeting. Wozniacki, a former Indian Wells winner at 20 years-old back in 2011, triumphed to make it eight wins apiece.

Kerber was hampered by a back injury in the match, but fought through to the end, though Wozniacki got up in an hour and a half. The Dane won 69 and 57 per cent of her first and second serve points, while also breaking five times to two.

“I could see her struggling with her back,” Wozniacki said post-match. “Yeah, I’m just happy I won.

“I don’t take anything for granted. I took a very long break. To be back here in this sport, I’m just enjoying myself. I’m thrilled I get another match.”

To Kerber’s credit, she fought back from a 5-1 deficit in the first set to come close but fall short, 6-4. Then an early break to Wozniacki – followed by a second one in the fifth game to make it 4-1 – forced Kerber to call for a trainer to see her back. She returned to court for another three games before Wozniacki closed out the match.

The former number one will take on the current number one in the quarter finals, after Iga Swiatek knocked off Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva comprehensively, 6-1 6-2. Lower ranked seeds Anastasia Potapova and Marta Kostyuk also celebrated wins, defeating Jasmine Paolini and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova respectively.

WOMEN’S SINGLES ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[1] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-1 6-2
[28] Anastasia Potapova (RUS) defeated [13] Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 7-5 0-6 6-3
[31] Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated [22] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 6-4 6-1
[WC] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) defeated Angelique Kerber (GER) 6-4 6-2

In the men’s singles, 32nd seed Jiri Lehecka continued his outstanding form to reach a quarter final, defeating 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas rather easily in the fourth round. Lehecka won 6-2 6-4 to book his place in the final eight. He will take on Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner – who is yet to lose in 2024 – after the Italian third seed knocked off 16th seed Ben Shelton in straight sets, 7-6 6-1.

In the other two matches, second seed Carlos Alcaraz made light work of the last unseeded player left in the bottom half of the draw. The Spaniard knocked over Hungarian Fabian Marozan in straight sets, 6-3 6-3, to take on sixth seeded German Alexander Zverev in the quarter finals. Zverev came back from a set down to defeat Aussie Alex de Minaur, 5-7 6-2 6-3 and advance through to the last eight of another Grand Slam.

MEN’S SINGLES ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[2] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) defeated Fabian Marozsan (HUN) 6-3 6-3
[3] Jannik Sinner (ITA) defeated [16] Ben Shelton (USA) 7-6 6-1
[6] Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated [10] Alex de Minaur (AUS) 5-7 6-2 6-3
[32] Jiri Lehecka (CZE) defeated [11] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6-2 6-4