American Emma Navarro stunned world number 2 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to record the biggest victory of her career and reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals for the first time on Wednesday while Coco Gauff celebrated her birthday by qualifying with ease.
Navarro absorbed Sabalenka’s powerful serve and converted four of her five break chances to beat the two-time defending Australian Open champion in windy conditions.
Navarro soared to take the first set before Sabalenka raised her level in the second to force a decider.
The poised Navarro kept her composure, fending off a break point and hitting a forehand winner for a crucial serve and a 4-1 lead.
Navarro, seeded 23rd, beat the hard-hitting Belarusian for the fourth time on match point to book a quarter-final clash with ninth seed Maria Sakkari of Greece.
Sakkari, 2022 finalist, beat Frenchwoman Diane Parry 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Navarro, who is known for keeping her emotions under wraps, made a low-key fist bump after winning the match in front of a supportive crowd at Stadium One.
“It’s not natural for me to be in the spotlight and play on a field like that with a ton of fans, TVs and eyes on me. It’s not my natural way.” , she told reporters.
“But I feel like I’m definitely more comfortable with it and feel like I can be myself even though there are so many people watching.
“I also think it was my second or third punch. If it was a little weird, give me a break,” she said with a smile.
With the victory, Navarro will enter the top 20 for the first time after the tournament and Sabalenka, who won her second Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park in January, congratulated her opponent.
“His potential is really great,” Sabalenka told reporters.
“I think she has the potential to be in the top 10.”
Gauff dominated Elise Mertens to win 6-0, 6-2 on her 20th birthday and book her place in the quarter-finals.
The dynamic American played her best tennis of the tournament so far, serving well and taking the court to defeat the Belgian 24th seed.
Mertens was unable to confirm her victory against Naomi Osaka in the previous round, hitting only four winners for 21 unforced errors in a match that lasted just over an hour.
Third-seeded Gauff saw her section of the draw open up after Sabalenka’s loss and will face unseeded Chinese Yuan Yue, who fought back from a set and down to beat Russia’s Daria Kasatkina , 11th seed, 4-6, 6-4, 6-. 3.
Yuan, who won her first WTA title in Texas this month, upset compatriot and Australian Open finalist Zheng Qinwen in the second round and will look for another upset to extend her nine-match winning streak.
