Sabalenka Advances, Major Upset Highlights Round of 16 at BNP Paribas Open

Top stars and rising players delivered big moments during the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeated Naomi Osaka in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals. Sabalenka took the first set 6-2 before closing out the match 6-4 in the second after about an hour and 20 minutes. The victory marks her 14th consecutive WTA quarterfinal appearance, the longest streak since Justine Henin achieved the feat in 2008.

One of the tournament’s biggest surprises came on Stadium 2 where Australian qualifier Talia Gibson upset seventh seed Jasmine Paolini. The win represents Gibson’s first victory over a top-10 player and a major milestone in what she described as a “fairy tale” run in Indian Wells.

On the men’s side, fourth seed Alexander Zverev moved one step closer to the semifinals with a straight-sets victory over Frances Tiafoe. Zverev’s 6-4 win secured his tenth victory of the season and keeps him in contention for a deep run in the desert.