Friday at 11: 20 a. m. ET — Alexandra Eala now gets a direct chance to turn recent momentum into a deep run at the Bnp Paribas Open, with her next match providing a measuring point against Coco Gauff. The setup follows Eala’s gritty three-set win over Dayana Yastremska and Gauff’s straight-sets victory over Kamilla Rakhimova.
Alexandra Eala’s recent form after beating Dayana Yastremska
Eala, 20, arrives at Indian Wells fresh off a three-set win over Dayana Yastremska that the WTA described as “gritty, ” giving her confidence on the hard courts. She noted that she has big-match experience, having defeated Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek on the way to the Miami semifinals last year, and said she would welcome another crack at a top opponent.
Bnp Paribas Open rematch with Coco Gauff will show what Eala learned
Seventeen days after Coco Gauff handled Alexandra Eala 6-0, 6-2 in Dubai, the two meet again at the Bnp Paribas Open, giving Eala a clear test of adjustments. Gauff reached this match by beating qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-6, but she struggled with 10 double faults and a balky forehand in that victory.
Aryna Sabalenka’s record chase and next opponent set the top-half story
Aryna Sabalenka began her Bnp Paribas Open run with a 6-4, 6-2 win over qualifier Himeno Sakatsume and now sits level with Maria Sharapova at 136 WTA 1000 match-wins, tied for seventh overall. Sabalenka, 27, who lost the Australian Open final five weeks earlier to Elena Rybakina, will have an opportunity for WTA 1000 win No. 137 against Jaqueline Cristian, who reached her match by beating No. 29 seed Maya Joint 0-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Still, Sabalenka’s week in the desert has been notable off court as well; she picked up a 12-carat diamond engagement ring after arriving in Indian Wells. Among active players, only Victoria Azarenka has more WTA 1000 match-wins than Sabalenka and Sharapova.
That said, Gauff’s tiebreak strength remains a factor: she is the only woman to win all four extra sessions this year and holds a 59-30 career record in tiebreaks, numbers that could tip the balance if Eala’s adjustments aren’t consistent across sets.
For Eala, the immediate consequence is concrete: a win over Gauff would remove a recent 6-0, 6-2 result from the narrative and materially boost her path to the later rounds of the Bnp Paribas Open. For Gauff, cleaning up forehand rhythm and cutting double faults will be the priority to preserve momentum into the deeper rounds.
Meanwhile, other seeded matchups highlighted for the third round include Emma Raducanu versus Amanda Anisimova and Naomi Osaka versus Camila Osorio, creating multiple routes through the draw that could alter who Eala or Gauff would face next if they advance.
More details about draw movement and match order are expected as the day progresses; broadcasters and tournament officials typically finalize session times after the preceding matches conclude.
Next confirmed milestone: the rematch between Alexandra Eala and Coco Gauff at the Bnp Paribas Open, scheduled as part of the upcoming session on Sunday at 2: 00 p. m. ET. If Eala wins, she advances to a later round with momentum and a clearer path to a deep run by the end of the tournament; if Gauff holds serve and cleans up errors, she preserves her favored position heading into the next top-half matchups.
