• WTA

Azarenka mounts fightback at Indian Wells

ESPN staff
March 12, 2013
Highlights: Azarenka bt Flipkens (3-6 6-3 6-0)

World No. 2 Victoria Azarenka continues to look shaky at the BNP Paribas Open, dropping a set before fighting back to reach the fourth round.

Azarenka was not entirely impressive in her previous match, falling 4-1 behind before winning 12 of the next 13 games against Daniela Hantuchova. On Tuesday she allowed Kirsten Flipkens a one-set lead before winning 3-6 6-3 6-0.

The top seed remains unbeaten in 2013 and is still fancied to go on and lift the trophy at Indian Wells, but she will need to correct her slow starts before she meets the world's top names later in the week.

Azarenka will now meet Urszula Radwanska in round four.

The day's big faller was No. 11 Ana Ivanovic, who was beaten 6-1 3-6 6-0 by No. 24 Mona Barthel of Germany. Barthel improved to 8-16 in her career against Top 20 opponents with victory.

There were no such problems for Caroline Wozniacki, a 6-2 6-1 winner over Elena Vesnina. Wozniacki looked unusually strong on serve against Vesnina and advanced after 75 minutes on court.

Elsewhere, No. 4 Angelique Kerber beat 30th-seeded Yanina Wickmayer 6-1 7-6(4) after rallying from a 1-4 deficit in the second set.

Australian Samantha Stosur needed three sets to get by 32nd-seeded Shuai Peng of China 6-3 3-6 6-2, and Nadia Petrova beat No. 21 seed Julia Georges 6-1 6-2.

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