ATP/WTA: Team USA charge on, Djokovic derailed

Stars and stripes dominate the scene

Despite the conveyor belt of household names and major contenders, there hasn't been a home WTA champion at Indian Wells since Serena Williams in 2001.

The current crop represents a strong chance to fix that for Team USA.

Due to Madison Keys' Australian Open triumph, America has three women in the Top 5 with Coco Gauff (No.3), Jessica Pegula (No.4) and Keys (No.5). Emma Navarro adds a fourth in the Top 10 with 17 Americans camped inside the Top 100.

On top of the rankings, there is a silverware lining. Pegula was hailed champion in Austin, Navarro ruled in Merida and Amanda Anismova won her maiden WTA 1000 title in Dubai. American players have now won seven of the 14 WTA titles contested in 2025.

Gauff, still reaching for her true consistency, picked up her first win since the Australian Open, battling 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4) past Japan's Moyuka Uchijima to book a third-round encounter with Maria Sakkari.

“We’re all pushing each other to do better,” said Gauff. “Now the men have strong depth, and I think that it just inspires us to do more. You see one win a tournament and you also want to do that.”

Keys returned to the Tour for the first time since major glory in Melbourne with a statement 6-3, 6-0 scoreboard over Anastasia Potapova.

“I think it’s probably been a little while since there has been so many American women doing as well as they are,” Keys said at the WTA1000 event, who meets No.28 seed Elise Mertens on Monday.

“I think not only are there the names that everyone obviously knows and are a little bit more established, but there’s also a ton of up-and-comers that are doing really, really well.

“I would not be surprised if you saw some really great results from the U.S. women (here).

On the ATP side concerning the stars and stripes, Top 15 trio Taylor Fritz - the 2022 champion - Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton are well and truly in the title hunt.

Paul collected his 50th Masters 1000 victory on Sunday with a 6-3, 7-5 passage past Cameron Norrie. The American advances to a popcorn battle with No.5 seed Daniil Medvedev.

Shelton struck a 'blink and you miss it' 150mph serve en route to an opening 6-3, 6-2 win facing Mariano Navone. However, No.16 seed Frances Tiafoe succumbed to the experienced world No.349 Yosuke Watanuki, who blazed 47 winners in a rocket-fuel 6-4, 7-6(6) shock.

Watanki's reward is a clash with Tallon Griekspoor, who has downed top seed Alexander Zverev and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard so far.

Djokovic bemoans "bad day at the office"

It's now three defeats in a row for 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

The all-conquering 37-year-old succumbed 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to world No.85 Botic van de Zandschulp off the back of 37 unforced errors on Saturday.

"Things are obviously different for me in the last couple of years. I've been struggling to play on the desired level," said the five-time winner at Indian Wells.

"Every now and then, I have couple good tournaments, but mostly it's really a challenge. It's a struggle for me."

Swiatek in ruthless mode

Defending champion Iga Swiatek has relinquished just two games in each of her opening tussles in the Californian desert over the net from Caroline Garcia and Dayana Yastremska. The Pole will take that red-hot form into a potentially pulsating clash with No.15 seed Karolina Muchova, in a repeat of the Roland-Garros 2023 final.

"I know that I'm in a good place and I’m going the right way," said Swiatek, seeking a first title of the season. "So I feel pretty pumped up. But on the other hand, calm, because I don’t feel that I’m threatened.

"I know how it feels like. I don’t know how it looks, because I’m not even watching usually these matches where I played perfectly, because there is not much to change or analyse."

Meanwhile, world No.1 Arya Sabalenka fended off American upcomer McCartney Kessler 7-6(4), 6-3 to hit the third round.

Elina Svitolina continues to impress, overcoming Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-4 to advance for a duel with Pegula. No.7 seed Elena Rybakina and teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva have locked in a third-round encounter well worth tuning in for too.

Alcaraz headlining all-star cast

Three-peat chasing Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the Last 32 courtesy of a classy 6-4, 6-2 victory over Frenchman Quentin Halys. Next up, the resurgent Denis Shapovalov - cue a bursting highlight reel.

Dubai champion Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his rich vein of form 6-3, 6-3 against Matteo Berrettini and will meet Holger Rune on Tuesday. The Dane has also rediscovered his blazing game, which was on display in a 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 comeback against Ugo Humbert.

Arthur Fils served up French joy, saving match point in a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 showdown with No.15 seed Lorenzo Musetti. Evergreen Gael Monfils inched past Sebastian Korda 7-6(2), 7-6(4) for a third-round ticket to take on No.14 seed Grigor Dimitrov.