Six lower seeds were defeated but the Top 10 players in action cruised on Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber, who will again rise to the No. 1 spot on the WTA Rankings following Indian Wells, in her opener rolled past fellow German Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-1.

“It was not so easy,” Kerber said afterwards. “We’ve known each other forever, and it’s always …

Unseeded Canadian Vasek Pospisil, ranked outside the Top 100 after a down 2016, on Saturday night upset world No. 1 Andy Murray 6-4, 7-6(5) in the second round at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

It was the second loss for Murray this year to a net-rushing opponent.

“I didn’t serve particularly well tonight, which didn’t help things. And then in the second set, he started to play more aggressively,” …

US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova found herself down 3-0 in the final set to rMonica Puig before winning six of the last seven games to deny the reigning gold medallist 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round at Indian Wells Friday night.

“I’m definitely happy I had my serve today; it was working with me, especially in the third set when I was 0-3 down,” Pliskova said. “I’m happy with the …

Andy Murray begins his bid for a first Indian Wells title tonight against Canadian Vasek Pospisil. Murray’s only been to the finals once at the event — in 2009 — but the outlook is high for the World No. 1 with all his main rivals including Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the other side of the draw and in the same quarter.

“It’s an amazing draw. I’ve never …

Over a month later, Roger Federer still can’t believe he won the Australian Open the way he did, the Swiss told the media Wednesday ahead of Indian Wells.

“I still feel like I’m on Cloud Nine,” Federer said.

“I went all the way. I still can’t believe it.”

Federer had to navigate a tough draw in Melbourne and now could face an even tougher journey this week at Indian Wells. Federer …

If Novak Djokovic wants to win a sixth Indian Wells title and fourth straight, he’s got his work cut out for him. Djokovic is in the “Quarter of Death” which also features Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro, Alexander Zverev and Nick Kyrgios who just beat him last week in Acapulco.

“I haven’t had too many draws like that,” said Djokovic. “It’s quite amazing to see that many …

Eugenie Bouchard crashed out of the Indian Wells Thursday falling in the first round to German Annika Beck 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

The 23-year-old Bouchard has now lost her last three matches since beating Peng Shuai in the second round at the Australian Open in January.

“I think it was a lack of match play and an opponent who was there on every point. It was tough,” Bouchard said.

“I think it’s something that …

It was a tough start for American men on the first day of the men’s action at Indian Wells. Four men were on court, just one advanced to the second round, that was wildcard Bjorn Fratangelo who hammered Bernard Tomic 6-2, 6-2.

Ryan Harrison had a strong start to the year but was dismissed by Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Harrison struggled early going down 4-0 in the first but righted …

What a crazy start to the 2017 Masters season which kicks off tomorrow at Indian Wells. The Indian Wells draw is like two events and unlike any other. There’s a bigger tournament with Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and a few other players, and then there’s that Quarter of Death which among the 16 features three former champions, a former finalist and potentially two future winners.

Of course …

The Indian Wells draw came out and it features one of the toughest quarter in recent memory.

But at the top, it’s Andy Murray as the top seed who has the luxury of an easy road to the semifinals, with only high seeds Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, David Goffin and Feliciano Lopez standing in his way. Murray, though, has only made the finals once in 11 tries at the event and just …

World No. 1 Serena Williams has officially withdrawn from both Indian Wells and Miami citing a left knee injury.

“Sadly, I have to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Miami Open,” Williams said in a statement. “I have not been able to train due to my knees and am disappointed I cannot be there. I will keep moving forward and continue to be positive. I look …

World No. 1 Serena Williams withdrew from Indian Wells late Tuesday afternoon, gifting Angelique Kerber a return to the No. 1 ranking on the WTA tour.

Wah wah…there goes the drama.

Other storylines to watch over the next two weeks include the emergence of last year’s US Open runner-up Karolina Pliskova, and returns from injury for Madison Keys (first appearance of the year after wrist surgery), Simona Halep (returning from knee injury), …

While Andy Murray made history becoming the first Brit to win Dubai, his colleagues all fell by the wayside in rather befuddling fashion.

First is what Roger Federer. The Swiss was playing his first event since winning the Australian Open and Dubai is of course his second home and a title he’s won SEVEN times! And against a qualifier from Russia in Evgeny Donskoy, the match was really an …

Defending finalist Milos Raonic won’t return to Indian Wells this year due to a hamstring injury. The Canadian injured his hamstring during his semifinal win over Juan Martin del Potro at Delray Beach last weekend.

Raonic, who played all nine Masters events last year, will miss his first Indian Wells event. He lost in the 2016 final to Novak Djokovic during which he injured an adductor.

The Canadian World …

Aussie comeback player Ashleigh Barty won her first WTA tour singles title at the ALYA Malaysian Open, in the final defeating Japan’s unseeded Nao Hibino 6-3, 6-2.

Barty reached the main draw through the qualifying rounds, and did not face a seeded player in the main draw.

The Aussie returned to the WTA tour after taking a year off to play cricket in the Women’s Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat.

“I think …