AFTER a successful first day of action at the WTA Tour’s Indian Wells fantasy tennis tournament for the Czech Republic representatives, it set up a number of all-Czech battles in the second round. While one went as planned with second seed, Karolina Pliskova moving through against Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-1, it was the other that sent shock waves through the draw as the major upset.

Marie Bouzkova, ranked 47th in the world, took down 10th seed compatriot Petra Kvitova in straight sets. The 6-4 6-4 result was merely just a couple of breaks at opportune times, but gave the 21-year-old the advantage and then finally, a spot in the Round of 32. Kvitova was one of three seeds bundled out in their first match of the tournament, as 11th seed and out-of-sorts Madison Keys also lost, going down to Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson in three sets. Peterson won the first set before Keys found her rhythm, only for the European to pick up the slack in the last set, match it with the American and then break crucially late in the deciding set to take out the match 6-4 2-6 7-5. German Julia Goerges also downed 32nd seed, Shuai Zhang in straight sets, 6-2 6-4.

In other results, China’s Qiang Wang defeated American Kristie Ahn 6-4 7-5, as the only Chinese player confirmed through to the Round of 32 so far, with Yafan Wang suffering defeat at the hands of 15th seed and young gun, Elena Rybakina. Speaking of young guns, Coco Gauff bowed out in the second round courtesy of a top performance from Alison Riske, knocking her out of a major tournament for the second time this year. Another Ukrainian seed in Dayana Yastremska did not even give Romanian Patricia Maria Tig a chance, rolling her with a couple of donuts 6-0 6-0 in 45 minutes. Sofia Kenin‘s demolition job of Kristyna Pliskova was not much longer with a 6-0 6-1 win in 47 minutes. In an all-Russian battle, 27th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova knocked off Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 5-7 6-4 in the longest match of the day, taking two hours and 40 minutes.

Other winners on day three included top 10 seeds, Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka, as well as Estonian Anett Kontaveit, Belgian Elise Mertens, and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.

In tomorrow’s action, the Round of 64 is completed with a number of likely tight contests including between 18th seed Greek, Maria Sakkari and Latvian Anastasija Sevastova, 25th seed American, Amanda Anisimova and Brit Heather Watson, and sixth seed Swiss young gun, Belinda Bencic taking on Frenchwoman, Kristina Mladenovic.

ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

[2] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) defeated Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-3 6-1
[3] Sofia Kenin (USA) defeated Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-0 6-1
[7] Serena Williams (USA) defeated Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) 7-6 6-0
[8] Naomi Osaka (JPN) defeated Timea Babos (HUN) 6-3 6-1
[9] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) defeated Arantxa Rus (NED) 6-2 7-5
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) defeated [10] Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6-4 6-4
Rebecca Peterson (SWE) defeated [11] Madison Keys (USA) 6-4 2-6 7-5
[15] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) defeated Yafan Wang (CHN) 6-3 6-0
[17] Alison Riske (USA) defeated Coco Gauff (USA) 6-2 6-3
[19] Anett Kontaveit (EST) defeated Iga Swiatek (POL) 6-4 6-2
[20] Elise Mertens (BEL) defeated Kaia Kanepi (EST) 6-2 7-6
[22] Dayana Yastremska (UKR) defeated Patricia Maria Tig (ROU) 6-0 6-0
[26] Qiang Wang (CHN) defeated Kristie Ahn (USA) 6-4 7-5
[27] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) defeated Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 6-4 5-7 6-4
[29] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) defeated Monica Puig (PUE) 7-6 7-6
Julia Goerges (GER) defeated [32] Shuai Zhang (CHN) 6-2 6-4