• BNP Paribas Open

Zvonareva stunned in Indian Wells

ESPN staff
March 14, 2011
Kim Clijsters puts some extra whip on a forehand as she edges out Sara Errani © Getty Images
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Third seed Vera Zvonareva was a big name casualty at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, crashing out in the third round in a three-hour marathon against Dominika Cibulkova.

Zvonareva had won the three previous meetings between the pair and she looked on course for a fourth as she took the first set but Cibulkova fought back to claim a 4-6 7-6 6-4 upset win in the tightest of contests.

Cibulkova won just two more points than Zvonareva across the entire match but despite the Russian's nine aces, the 21-year-old was able to close out the key points to secure an upset win.

Kim Clijsters continued to progress in Indian Wells but she needed three sets to get past Sara Errani in their tense third round clash.

Second seed Clijsters triumphed 6-3 2-6 6-4 after a second-set slide when world No. 40 Errani broke her serve three times.

But any hopes the 23-year-old Italian held of upsetting Clijsters in their first meeting were dashed as Clijsters stepped up her game in the final set, dominating the Errani serve to secure two breaks and the match.

Jelena Jankovic had an easier time of things against Julia Goerges, winning 6-2 6-4 in 80 minutes.

The sixth seed was the dominant force through-out, drpping just the solitary service game during the more evenly contested second seed.

Fifth seed Francesca Schiavone beat Alize Cornet 6-2 6-3 while Shahar Peer and Ana Ivanovic also made it through.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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