INDIAN WELLS, California, Mar 13 (AP): Emma Navarro beat second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday for the biggest win of the young American's career.
Navarro improved to 18-5 this year, with her victories leading the WTA Tour. She is 11-2 in three-set matches. The 2021 NCAA singles champion from Virginia reached her fourth quarterfinal of the year and first at the 1000 level.
"I was able to stay aggressive on returns even though she has a really good serve," Navarro said in an on-court interview. "Played some better service games in the third set and just was able to put a lot of pressure on her throughout. I think that's what made the difference."
Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, trailed 1-4 in the third set and won just one more game before getting broken on Navarro's second match point.
"It's never easy coming out and playing an opponent like that, so experienced and just so talented, obviously," Navarro said. "She made it really tough on me today, but I was able to play some good tennis in the big moments."
The 22-year-old American won the title at Hobart early in the year.
Navarro moves on to the quarterfinals against ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari, who beat Diane Parry, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Coco Gauff celebrated her 20th birthday with a 6-0, 6-2 win in just over an hour against Elise Mertens to reach the quarters for the second consecutive year in the Southern California desert.
"Today was one of my best matches since the Australian Open," Gauff told the Tennis Channel. "I was definitely trying to be aggressive. That just made the difference. I don't think she felt she could step in on me."
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