Australia’s Talia Gibson was playing for a top in the top-100 when she took on world no. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova in round two of the Indian Wells WTA 1000 tournament.
Alexandrova had a break point in the opening game of the match which Gibson saved with a forehand winner. This was backed up with a backhand winner to give Gibson game point.
The Australian had to save another break point before holding to lead 1-0.
After struggling to land first serves it was Gibson that again was facing break points at 15-40 in the third game. Errors from Alexandrova helped Gibson get back to deuce. Gibson would hold to lead 2-1.
Gibson held to love in the fifth game and then broke her opponent to leave 4-2. The Australian kept that advantage to take the first set 6-3.
In fourth game of the second set Alexandrova had a break point but Gibson hit a good short forehand winner to save that.
Alexandrova held to love before again having a break point in the sixth game. Yet again it was saved.
Gibson had a break point at 30-40 in the ninth game but hit into the net.
In the 11th game Gibson had three break points at 0-40. She needed just one after having Alexandrova on the run before Gibson hit a winner to take a 6-5 lead.
The young Australian held her nerve and needed just one match point to close out a 6-3, 7-5 win.
The victory takes Gibson into the top-100 on the live rankings.
Tomljanovic cruises into the third round
After Gibson’s impressive win, it was Tomljanovic that had a more comfortable win.
The world no. 85 took on China’s world no. 30 Wang Xinyu.
Tomljanovic won 6-3, 6-1 in one hour and eight minutes.
Maya Joint and Kimberly Birrell were not so lucky
The no. 29 seeded Joint lost 0-6, 6-2, 7-5. That was despite having a match point in the third set. Joint was up 5-4 and had Jacqueline Cristian at 30-40. Joint had a look at a second serve but Cristian attacked to force an error from her opponent.
A second match point came when the Romanian hit a ball into the top of the net, only for the ball to fall back on her side. Again the Australian had a second serve but Joint hit long to let that slip.
After a long rally Joint hit a winner to earn her third match point. Cristian just could not land a first serve but she held her nerve and hit aggressively to force an error from Joint.
Joint hit into the net and Cristian had a game point. This time an error came from the Romanian, it was deuce in this tense game.
An Ace was followed by a double fault and the game continued. A serve into the body saw Joint just fend off the return, Cristian then hit a winner. Another mishit from the Romanian and the game was back at deuce.
No-one looked like they wanted the match. Cristian fired down a big serve to force a return error from Joint, and when Joint hit into the net on the next return, Cristian had escaped.
In the 11th game it was Cristian with two break points at 15-40. Joint got back to deuce before back-to-back errors handed the game to her opponent.
Now with Cristian serving for the match it was Joint that jumped to 0-30. Joint had break back points at 15-40.
There was drama at 30-40 when Joint stumbled and fell. She got up clutching her back.
Joint took a medical timeout with the score at deuce.
After returning from treatment the match was quickly over after Joint looked unable to move as normal.
Cristian taking the match in two hours and 19 minutes.
Birrell lost to world no. 10 Victoria Mboko. The Canadian winning 6-4, 7-6(5). Birrell was up a break in both sets.
Also read – Who will be the next Australian female to crack the top-100 club?