American and former world No. 1 junior Taylor Townsend, the focus of weight issues between coaches and the USTA in past years, appeared not exactly svelte, but her fittest in past years in fending off 15-year-old fellow American Amanda Anisimova 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

It was a good day to be a Pliskova Friday at Indian Wells.

Eugenie Bouchard has now lost 3 straight matches.

Three Top 10ers in the field, in addition to Australian Open runner-up and former No. 1 Venus Williams

“I’m fit,” Kerber said. “I am prepared for playing, like, two, three hours, so that’s not a problem. Tomorrow I have a day off, so it’s not a big deal. I think I will be fine.”

The world No. 1 Kerber is the only Top 10er in the field, but throw in former No. 1s Williams, Wozniacki and Jankovic, and the Slam winner Stosur to give it some meat…

“I just wanted to go out and enjoy it,” Wozniacki said of the championship match. “It’s the final and both of us had great weeks. We both wanted to go out there and play well.”

The Top 8 seeds receive opening-round byes in Wuhan, so Kerber will start against either American CoCo Vandeweghe or France’s Kristina Mladenovic. From there her difficult path will likely see No. 14 and Slam winner Petra Kvitova, then No. 7 Carla Suarez Navarro or No. 11 Johanna Konta, then likely No. 4 Simona Halep or No. 8 Madison Keys in the semifinals.

Former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic are in the title hunt this weekend in Asia.

Five of the Top 10, including US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova, and a slew of dangerous floaters make Tokyo the place to watch this week…The Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Tough starts for Muguruza after a bye, coming out cold possibly against the US Open quarterfinalist Sevastova; (8) Pavlyuchenkova vs. the veteran Petkovic (winner to possibly meet the giant-serving Vandeweghe); (6) Cibulkova vs. Safarova; and (4) Suarez Navarro cold after a bye meeting the winner of Bencic-Wozniacki…

The Williams sisters suffered their first defeat in the Olympics today.

No. 94 Pereira gets seeded, and it must be strange for the Brazilian to be playing a WTA event in Brazil as her country at the same time hosts the Olympic tennis…

Halep the lone Top 10 or Top 20 participant…(2) Errani looking at a 2nd rd. meeting with the former French Open champ Schiavone…

Muguruza’s road out of this quarter would likely go through Giorgi, a qualifier, Mattek-Sands, (14) Stosur and (8) Venus Williams.

Strong field with four Top 10 seeds, and all seeds are ranked in Top 20…Potential tough starts for (1) Radwanska vs. Vandeweghe, (3) Halep vs. Safarova, and (2) Kerber vs. Peng…Wildcards went to Radwanska, Kvitova and Brits Naomi Broady and Tara Moore…