Auger-Aliassime wins, Fernandez loses

(Indian Wells) Quebecer Leylah Fernandez lost 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 to Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in Indian Wells on Monday.

Fifth seed, Garcia has therefore earned his place in the round of 16, where Sorana Cirstea will be waiting for him.

Shortly after his 11^e ace, Garcia sealed the win with a parallel forehand, which hit the line.

Ranked 49^e at the WTA, Fernandez was the 30^e seeded at the California tournament.

Garcia got three breaks including two in the final set, for cushions of 3-1 and 5-1. The Lavalloise let slip the two break points she obtained.

Prior to the break giving him a 3-1 lead, Garcia had won the third game to nil, on serve. She also shut out Fernandez twice in the first set, including a break.

Fernandez and Garcia had met only once, resulting in Garcia’s win earlier this year in Melbourne in the second round.

Last month and earlier in March, Garcia was beaten in the final in Lyon and Monterrey (by Alycia Parks and Donna Vekic).

Fernandez’s compatriot, Bianca Andreescu will have a heavy task in the evening, against the favorite and defending champion Iga Swiatek.

The Pole defeated the Ontarian last year in Rome, on clay.

Andreescu won the California tournament in 2019, the year she became queen of Flushing Meadows. She now sits 36^e at the WTA.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, 10^e headliner takes on Paula Badosa of Spain.

Emma Raducanu, champion in New York two years ago, takes on Beatriz Haddad Maia, 13^e first in the series.

On the men’s side, Quebec’s Félix Auger-Aliassime, seeded eighth, defeated Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-4.

He will face in the next round the American Tommy Paul, 17^e first in the series. The latter was the winner of the Pole Hubert Hurkacz 4-6, 6-2 and 6-4.

Favorite Carlos Alcaraz will also be in action on Monday, along with veterans Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka.