New York (AFP)

Surprises in Indian Wells: the Czech Karolina Pliskova, one of the favorites, was released on Monday in the third round of the tournament by the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, after qualifying, like the Russian Andrey Rublev, world No. 5, against a modest opponent , the American Tommy Paul.

Rublev's compatriot, world No.2 Daniil Medvedev overcame the bad weather that disrupted the tournament on Monday night and the obstacle of Serbian Filip Krajinovic to clinch his 50th victory of the season.

Pliskova, 3rd player in the world, lost in two sets and just over two hours of play, 6-3, 7-5.

She was particularly penalized by her serve, with 12 double faults and only 25% of points gained after her second serve.

After this defeat of Pliskova and in the absence of the world No. 1, the Australian Ashleigh Barty, her Belarusian runner-up Aryna Sabalenka as well as the American Serena Williams, the women's table is very open.

Haddad Maia, 115th in the world, will face in the fourth round the Estonian Anett Kontaveit (20th), who created another of the surprises of the day by eliminating the winner of the last edition of the tournament, in 2019, the Canadian Bianca Andreescu (21st) , 7-6, 6-3.

“I didn't play well and didn't have a good feeling today,” said the one who also won the US Open two years ago.

"It was very windy. I don't think she played very good tennis either, but she was better than me."

Among the men, too, all the favorites failed to hold their rank.

Norwegian Casper Ruud during his match against South African Lloyd Harris on October 11, 2021 in Indian Wells Frederic J. BROWN AFP

The surprise came at the very end of the evening in California, with the victory of the American Tommy Paul, 24, 60th in the world, against the Russian Andrey Rublev, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

- "Really difficult" -

After the elimination of the recent semi-finalist of the San Diego tournament, seeded N.4 at Indian Wells, Tommy Paul, never higher than the 50th place in the world, will face in the following round the Briton Cameron Norrie, who has overcome in three sets of the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut (6-4, 5-7, 6-3).

Another Russian on the court Monday night, Daniil Medvedev, seeded No. 1 in the tournament, meanwhile defeated Krajinovic quite easily, 6-2, 7-6.

The recent winner of the US Open will face Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the round of 16.

"It was a really tough game," Medvedev told AFP.

"In the first set I was lucky for a few moments. In the second set I started well, but he raised his level," said the 25-year-old.

"I am happy to have managed to fight on every point and to bring it to the tie-break", underlined the native of Moscow.

The game was delayed about an hour in the night session, before Medvedev's game started, after heavy rain and gusty winds swept through the Palm Springs, Calif., Area.

Among the other qualifiers on Monday, the Norwegian Casper Ruud (10th player in the world) beat the South African Lloyd Harris (31st) in three sets, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, but suffered in the face of quality service of his opponent, author of 18 aces.

Winner of three titles in three weeks this summer (in Bastad, Gstaad and Kitzbühel), a performance never seen since Andy Murray in 2011, Ruud will find Diego Schwartzman in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old Argentinian, 15th in the world, also had to work against the Briton Daniel Evans.

Led a set to zero, he was able to reverse the situation to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-0.

© 2021 AFP