Jessica Pegula returns to Donna Vekic during her second round win at the BNP Paribas Open Stadium 1 on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. There were no major upsets on the day, but there was certainly no shortage of performances to create drama at the PNB Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California on Saturday.
Third-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who received a first-round bye, looked ready to play in her first match, beating American and No. 43 Hailey Baptiste in her first match. But Baptiste broke Rybakina’s serve to make it 4-4 and showed signs of frustration throughout the match before the world number three won the third set 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-2.
Likewise, the 5th seed and 5th place Jessica Pegula (USA) also needed 3 sets after the end of the first round match. World No. 103 Dona Vekic of Croatia took the first set 6-4, and Pegula won the next two sets 6-2 and 6-3 to extend her winning streak to six matches.
Pegula, 32, dominated with eight aces to Vekic’s, 29, but much of the rest of the match was statistically even. The difference between the last two sets was Pegula’s ability to save break opportunities while converting when she had the chance – going 4-for-4 on break opportunities in sets 2 and 3, returning all four break points she faced.
Defending champion and eighth seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia recorded her 100th main draw with a double bagel against 18-year-old Solana Sierra of Argentina.
“I always see posts on Instagram and people post like, ‘Oh, Novak (Djokovic) won his 500th win on tour,’” Andreeva said in an on-court interview. “I’m wondering when I’m going to get at least 50 wins, and now you’re saying it’s my 100th win. Yeah, that’s really amazing, that’s very special to hear, and I hope we can keep going and not stop here.”
Second-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland also won easily, sweeping American qualifier Kayla Day 6-0, 7-6(2). Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, the only top 10 seed who entered the event at No. 9, survived past Germany’s Laura Siegemund to win 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3.
Among other seeded players in the second round, Madison Keys, seeded 15th, defeated French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4, 6-3. No. 28 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine defeated American qualifier Taylor Townsend 6-3, 6-2. 32nd seed Maria Sakkari of Greece defeated 18-year-old Lilli Tagger of Austria 7-5, 6-0.
In addition, 12th seed Belinda Bencic (Switzerland), 13th seed Karolina Mukova (Czech Republic), 22nd seed Elise Mertens of Belgium, and 26th seed Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia) won. All four were won in straight sets.
On Saturday, four seeded players were eliminated. 19th-ranked Lyudmila Samsonova (Russia), the highest seed, lost to Ashlyn Kruger of the United States 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. No. 20 Sonai Kartal (Great Britain) topped No. 20 seed Emma Navarro (USA) 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (2), while No. 27 Leila Annie Fernandez (Canada) lost to Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (1). China’s Qinwen Zheng, the 24th seed, lost to Croatia’s Antonia Ruzi in straight sets 6-4, 7-5.
–Field level media
