March 4, 2026; Indian Wells, California, USA; Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) hits a shot against Pola Badosa (ESP) during the first round of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Image Yulia Putintseva needed just 83 minutes to secure a 6-4, 6-2 win over 2021 champion Pola Badosa in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Wednesday.
Putintseva converted five of eight break points as she defeated Badosa for the second time in six career meetings. Her previous win came in 2022 when Badosa retired due to injury during the second set of her second-round match in Toronto.
The Kazakh product capitalized on Badosa’s 47 unforced errors and 10 double faults to record her 10th straight defeat at WTA 1000 level events.
“It was definitely a tough first round for me,” Putintseva said. “Paula, she’s a great player. Always fighting. You can see every game she’s been there and you can see her trying to come back. I’m so happy and enjoying my performance today.”
Badosa, Spain’s former world No. 2, had four aces but was hurt by a 59% first serve accuracy.
Putintseva will face 17th seed Clara Tausson (Denmark) in the second round.
Americans McCartney Kessler and Ann Li lost their opening matches.
Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez beat Kessler 7-6(7), 6-0, while Australia’s Talia Gibson beat Li 6-3, 7-5. Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume defeated American Alicia Parks 6-4, 6-3.
Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic beat Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse 7-5, 6-2, while Austria’s Anastasia Potapova beat Canada’s Marina Stakusic 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Romania’s Sorana Kirstea beat Germany’s Tatyana Maria 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova beat Germany’s Ella Seidel 6-2, 6-2, and Australia’s Kimberly Burrell beat Russia’s Oksana Selekmeteva 6-1, 6-4. Spain’s Jessica Bouzsazs Maneiro defeated Brazil’s Beatrix Haddad Maia 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-1.
–Field level media
