King and Stephens advance, Craybas falters at Indian Wells
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Americans Sloane Stephens and Vania King round loser at the $5.535 million BNP Paribas Open.
Stephens outlasted Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak in a marathon 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (9-7) match that lasted over three hours. The 18-year-old had to overcome 11 double faults to earn her first win of the year.
King ousted Italy's Sara Errani 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 on the hardcourts at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Errani converted on 4-of-6 break chances, but was able to win just 51 percent of her service points en route to the loss.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rising German Mona Barthel spanked the 37-year-old Craybas 6-1, 6-2 in a mere 48 minutes on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old Barthel, who captured her first-ever WTA title in Hobart in January, is rewarded with a second-round match against world No. 1 star Victoria Azarenka.
American wild card Jamie Hampton advanced with a 52-minute 6-0, 6-1 pasting of Slovenian Polona Hercog. The Alabama native is rewarded with a second-round match against former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia. Jankovic was the Indian Wells champ two years ago.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, Aussie Jarmila Gajdosova came from behind to dismiss American wild card Coco Vandeweghe, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 and Romanian Sorana Cirstea overcame veteran Czech lefthander Iveta Benesova 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).
Additional wins came for 41-year-old Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm, Czech Klara Zakopalova, Swiss Timea Bacsinszky, Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, and Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboeva, who will face eighth-seeded French Open champ Li Na of China on Friday.
Also advancing on Wednesday was Germany's Elena Baltacha, Elena Vesnina of Russia, the Netherlands' Michaella Krajicek, Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycov and India's Sania Mirza.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The winner of this 12-day event will enjoy a $1 million windfall.