Medvedev crashes as Azarenka cries off in desert
NOVAK Djokovic will return to his world No 1 ranking next Monday after Daniil Medvedev was sent crashing out of the ATP/WTA Indian Wells Masters.
The stunning Medvedev defeat to Gael Monfils ended the Russian’s three-week reign as world number one.
On a day of upsets in the California desert, Medvedev was the highest profile casualty to be sent packing, outfoxed 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 by veteran Frenchman Monfils.
The shocks continued in the evening session as Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas tumbled out to 21-year-old American Jenson Brooksby.
Earlier, the 35-year-old Monfils scored his first victory over a world number one since 2009 with a superb display to dispose of US Open champion Medvedev.
The defeat means Novak Djokovic will on Monday return to the top of the world rankings, three weeks after
Medvedev became number one.
“I’m in my zone and I’m a tough opponent for anyone,” Monfils said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve beaten a world number one, so I’m pretty happy.”
Medvedev said he would aim to reclaim his number one ranking at the Miami Open next week.
“Now I know I’m going to lose it (the ranking), so I have Miami to try to get it back,” Medvedev said.
As Medvedev was left reflecting on his early exit, Rafael Nadal’s unbeaten start to 2022 continued with a straight-sets defeat of Britain’s Dan Evans.
The 21-time Grand Slam champion recorded his 17th straight victory of the year with a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of the 27th seed.
In the women’s singles, Veronika Kudermetova advanced to the last 16 after her Czech opponent Marie Bouzkova retired in the second set at 6-4, 0-2.
Greece’s Maria Sakkari, looking to build on a breakout 2021 which included two Grand Slam semi-finals appearances, overwhelmed another Czech, Petra Kvitova, in straight sets.
After the tearful exit of four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka at the weekend, there was another emotional flashpoint as Victoria Azarenka succumbed to Kazakh 17th seed Elena Rybakina 6-3, 6-4.
Rybakina’s victory was overshadowed by a bizarre incident which came while Azarenka prepared to serve while trailing 6-3, 2-2.
Play was held up for several minutes as the 32-year-old two-time Australian Open champion dissolved into floods of tears, waving away intervention from the chair umpire saying,
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.” Rybakina described the incident as a “very strange situation”.
“I just hope everything is good with Vika because I don’t know what happened,” she said. “Hope everything is okay.”