AFTER clearing out lower ranked opponents, the seeds got their first big challenges of the Indian Wells ATP Tour fantasy competition, with second seed Rafael Nadal and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas among those needing three sets to advance through to the Round of 16. Not only that, but the first top 10 seed fell, with Belgian David Goffin bowing out in a three-set loss to 17th seed Chilean, Cristian Garin.

Nadal looked solid in the opening set, but never had it fully his own way as Milos Raonic‘s serve was on from the start and it forced a third set when the Canadian got up in the second set tiebreaker. Eventually the world number two settled and broke in the fourth game of the third set, taking just over two hours to finally shake Raonic, 6-3 6-7 6-3. Tsitsipas had similar problems with Borna Coric, dropping the first set to the 31st seed before making a crucial break early in the second, and then holding tough through some fantastic tennis to win in three. The Greek youngster got up 5-7 6-4 7-6 with some epic shots that ultimately proved the difference when the game was on the line in the third set tiebreaker. The going was not so fortunate for Goffin, who looked pretty cruisy in the second set of his match against Garin. The Belgian dropped the opening set tiebreaker, but was dominant in the second set with a 6-1 scoreline, but that game went to pieces in the deciding set as the Chilean won six of the last seven games to roll into the last 16 with a 7-6 1-6 6-2 victory.

The other upset of the day belonged to 18th seed, Grigor Dimitrov who toppled 13th seed, Andrey Rublev. The Belarusian won the first set 6-4, but the pair traded blows throughout the two-and-a-half-hour contest before the experienced player got the better of his younger opponent, 6-4 3-6 6-3. Speaking of youth, 15th seed Canadian Denis Shapovalov made his way into the Round of 16 with a come-from-behind win over unseeded United States talent, Tommy Paul 4-6 6-2 7-5. In other results, fourth seed Dominic Thiem got up over German Philipp Kohlschreiber, eighth seed Gael Monfils downed 27th seed Daniel Evans, and 11th seed Roberto Bautista Agut easily defeated Frances Tiafoe.

Tomorrow’s day six of action will complete the Round of 16 with an all-Serbian clash between Novak Djokovic and Filip Krajinovic among the big clashes, while Karen Khachanov and Felix Auger-Aliassime go head-to-head in the battle of the up-and-comers. Alexander Zverev faces his second all-German battle against Jan-Lennard Struff, while Stan Wawrinka takes on Pablo Carreno Busta.

ROUND OF 32 RESULTS:

[2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated [29] Milos Raonic (CAN) 6-3 6-7 6-3
[4] Dominic Thiem (AUT) defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4 6-4
[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) defeated [31] Borna Coric (CRO) 5-7 6-4 7-6
[8] Gael Monfils (FRA) defeated [27] Daniel Evans (GBR) 6-4 6-4
[17] Cristian Garin (CHI) defeated [9] David Goffin (BEL) 7-6 1-6 6-2
[11] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) defeated Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6-2 6-2
[18] Grigor Dimitrov (BLR) defeated [13] Andrey Rublev (RUS) 6-4 3-6 6-3
[15] Denis Shapovalov (CAN) defeated Tommy Paul (USA) 4-6 6-2 7-5