Mirra Andreeva dominates in Indian Wells opener as Iga Swiatek made to work

[p]World number two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/swiatek-iga/jNyZsXZe/"]Iga Swiatek[/a], who lifted the prestigious trophy in 2022 and 2024, survived some sticky moments in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/day-k-rkOojWt6/swiatek-i-jNyZsXZe/?mid=8bKWDbyI"]6-0, 7-6 (2) victory[/a] over US qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/day-kayla/rkOojWt6/"]Kayla Day[/a].[/p][p]Eighth-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreeva-mirra/lI6fOOat/"]Andreeva[/a] was understandably [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/andreeva-m-lI6fOOat/sierra-s-E5xrmfn5/?mid=fqCeCFzf"]delighted with her performance[/a] against an opponent she'd never played before.[/p][p]"[b]I was pretty nervous because obviously I don't know what she's going to do,[/b]" the 18-year-old Russian said. "[b]Also the conditions were pretty tricky. The wind was changing directions every time. So I'm pretty happy with how I adjusted my game to these conditions.[/b]"[/p][p]The third-seeded Kazakh, who won the Indian Wells title in 2023, needed all of her patience and resolve in the face of an aggressive attack from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baptiste-hailey/Cjagsdf4/"]Baptiste[/a], but steadied herself in the final set to win [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/baptiste-h-Cjagsdf4/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/?mid=lnTp5bTQ"]7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2[/a].[/p][p][b]"It was a really tough match today, but I'm super-happy with the win," [/b]said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Rybakina[/a], who beat world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Aryna Sabalenka[/a] to claim her second Grand Slam title in Melbourne in January.[/p][embed guid="dd543dd2-c831-4072-ae05-2454b118426b" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2030396659541143624" social-type="twitter" /][p]After squandering an early break in the opening set, Rybakina fought off three set points to force the tie-breaker, in which three forehand winners put her in command before she pocketed the set with another.[/p][p]But Rybakina was broken twice in the second set, Baptiste taking advantage to serve it out after Rybakina double-faulted on break point to hand the American a 5-2 lead.[/p][p]A shaky service game from Baptiste gave Rybakina a break for a 3-1 lead in the third, and from there she was able to roll home.[/p][p][b]"She played really well," [/b]Rybakina said. [b]"She was staying aggressive. She has a good serve. I had my opportunities, didn't get them from the beginning, and then I was struggling in the second set, was rushing a bit.[/b][/p][p][b]"There are things for sure to improve on.[/b][/p][h2]Drifting off[/h2][p]Swiatek sailed through her opening set against Day only for the 187th-ranked lefty to break the Polish star in the opening game of the second.[/p][p]Swiatek battled back from 0-40 down to avoid falling 0-3, but when she fell behind 0-40 in the fifth game she couldn't escape and Day gained another break to lead 5-1.[/p][p]Swiatek responded, winning five straight games as they went to the tiebreaker, in which she powered to a 5-0 lead.[/p][p]"[b]I think for sure I drifted off a little bit for some games, and then I became tight because of that,[/b]" Swiatek said. "[b]For sure I needed to get back to my first-set game.[/b][/p][p]"[b]I feel like I did that quite well[/b]," added Swiatek, who is hoping a return to a venue she loves will kickstart a season in which she fell in the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and in Doha.[/p][p]Fifth-seeded home favorite [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] opened the night session on Stadium Court with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/vekic-d-AsWv5414/?mid=0jbqpNHD"]4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win[/a] over Croatian veteran [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vekic-donna/AsWv5414/"]Donna Vekic[/a].[/p][p]Pegula is coming off a victory in Dubai, where she beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a] in the final to claim her fourth WTA 1000 crown.[/p][p]Czech [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muchova-karolina/Or4Qa1ye/"]Karolina Muchova[/a], winner last month in Doha, opened her campaign with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/bondar-a-O8s9yjMD/muchova-k-Or4Qa1ye/?mid=MJuLbsl4"]7-5, 6-2[/a] victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bondar-anna/O8s9yjMD/"]Anna Bondar[/a].[/p]