Rybakina, Muchova save set points, move on in Indian Wells

An hour into play on Day 4 of the BNP Paribas Open, two of the season's most notable title-winners were in trouble.

Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina and Doha champion Karolina Muchova simultaneously stared down multiple set points in their opening sets in Indian Wells. But they swatted them away and eventually pulled through to make the third round, though Rybakina still needed to go to a decider to quell Hailey Baptiste 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-2. Muchova notched a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Anna Bondar to extend her winning streak to seven.

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After spending 2 hours and 16 minutes getting to grips with Baptiste's variety in blustery conditions, 2023 champion Rybakina will face another creative net-rusher in the next round -- either No. 28 seed Marta Kostyuk or qualifier Taylor Townsend. Muchova will take on either No. 24 seed Zheng Qinwen or surging Croatian Antonia Ruzic.

"The wind is not the nicest for both of us, I guess," Rybakina said in her on-court interview. "She played really well, she was staying aggressive, she has a good serve. I had my opportunities, didn't get them from the beginning, then was struggling in the second set. Was rushing a bit. There are for sure things to improve for the next match."

Simultaneous set point saves: An early 4-2 lead had evaporated for Rybakina on Stadium 1. Baptiste was mixing up her patterns smartly and rarely giving Rybakina the same look twice -- particularly on return, where the American sometimes opted to attack from well inside in the baseline and at other times to stand further back to take a full swing at the ball. One such aggressive approach brought up triple set point for Baptiste at 6-5 on Rybakina's serve.

Meanwhile on Stadium 9, Bondar was beating Muchova at the Czech's drop shot game. Serving well and attacking Muchova's backhand, the Hungarian also pulled off the best touch shots of the first set, and held four set points at 5-4.

Rybakina and Muchova both demonstrated that, with their backs to the wall, champions keep it simple and execute to perfection. Muchova escaped thanks to two service winners and two one-two punches. Rybakina had to chase down a Baptiste drop shot on the first of hers, but then also sent down an unreturned serve and a one-two punch to get out of danger.

After wriggling out of that game, Muchova hit her stride and played increasingly free-flowing tennis, winning nine of the next 11 games. Over on Stadium 1, Baptiste stuck with her game plan to take the second set, but faded in the third as Rybakina found an implacable stretch of serving.