Alexandra Eala extended a flawless debut at the BNP Paribas Open, advancing to the fourth round when Coco Gauff retired with a left arm injury.

Eala was closing out the opening set when Gauff took a medical timeout late in the set for the injury. After Eala opened a lead in the second set, Gauff elected not to continue, trailing 6-2, 2-0.

The result reversed the pair’s meeting at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where Eala lost 6-0, 6-2 in a quarterfinal. It also represents Eala’s first Top 5 win since the 2025 Miami Open, where she defeated world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

“I was definitely a little nervous. It was a big stadium, and, of course, a big opponent,” Eala said after the match. “And, yeah, I was really motivated, super excited to play the match. Those back and forths were really intense for me, and I’m happy that I was able to get some of them.”

“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That’s also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that’s one of the things I did a little better today.”

The crowd on Stadium 1 included large groups waving Philippines flags, a presence that has followed Eala since her breakthrough. Eala said those fans provide motivation and that part of her reaction to the rapid rise is simply appreciation for spectators.

“I think it’s it’s such a pleasure to be able to play on courts where people are waiting for you, where there’s an amazing, electric atmosphere… I never used to have that, you know, because I was in the ITF circuit,” she recalled. “So to be able to play on amazing courts, amazing people and with these crowds, is such a great experience.”

Eala is approaching one year since her run at the Miami Open as a wild card ranked No. 140, when she defeated No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and No. 2 Swiatek to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal. She carried that form into Dubai last month, beating No. 6 Jasmine Paolini before falling to Gauff in the quarterfinals. Now ranked No. 32, Eala is still adapting to life on the WTA Tour.

“I think the lifestyle I have right now is really crazy and fun. We’re living out of a suitcase, and they (my parents) are super supportive,” Eala said. “I’m really, I’m really grateful. I know not a lot of people have parents that are able to support full on…

“I’ve been to the most amazing courts and been able to play in the most amazing atmospheres, like Miami. I’ve been able to play on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, which is my dream, and that’s been amazing.”

Joao Fonseca continued a breakthrough week at the Masters 1000 event, recording a straight-sets victory over Tommy Paul to reach the fourth round. The 19-year-old Brazilian produced a commanding performance on Sunday, winning 6-2, 6-3 and moving into the round of 16 at a Masters 1000 for the first time in his career.

Fonseca’s run at the tournament has been defined by grit and an ability to raise his level against established opponents. On Saturday he survived what was among his toughest matches of the week, coming back from double match point down at 6-4 in the second-set tiebreak to beat Karen Khachanov, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4. Less than 24 hours later he cut through Paul’s game with cleaner ball striking and aggressive court positioning to close out the victory in two sets.

Those consecutive wins underline a broader trend in Fonseca’s results against top opposition. The Brazilian teenager has now won seven of his last eight matches against Top 30 players since last September.

JOAO FONSECA VS TOP 30 PLAYERS SINCE ’25 US OPEN: 7-1

Reaching the round of 16 at a Masters 1000 event represents a milestone for Fonseca and reflects steady progress on the tour. His recent sequence of results — including the comeback over Khachanov and the decisive victory against Paul — has reinforced his reputation as a young player capable of competing with higher-ranked opponents on the biggest stages. As the tournament moves on, Fonseca will carry the confidence of his first Masters 1000 last-16 appearance into whatever challenge awaits next.

A decade after sitting courtside and dreaming of big moments, Learner Tien translated that memory into a signature win at his home tournament. Tien defeated No. 8 seed Ben Shelton 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 to reach the Indian Wells fourth round for the first time.

“It means a lot,” Tien told reporters after his 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 win. “The court I played on today, I remember exactly where I was sitting in that same stadium when I was a kid , so it’s really cool, it’s really a full-circle moment for me. Just really special to play here and especially to win here.”

Shelton had earlier skipped the customary press conference following a second-round comeback against Reilly Opelka because he was feeling unwell. Tien acknowledged that condition but also stressed Shelton’s competitiveness. “came out not feeling 100%, but he’s an amazing competitor and he came out and gave it his all.”

On the court, Shelton leveraged his big serve to hold the initiative through much of the first set, but Tien seized the tiebreak by winning the opening three points. The third set featured exchanged holds, with each player saving a break point at the start, before Tien reeled off three straight games from 2-2 to close out the match. The match lasted two hours and 10 minutes and pushed Tien’s head-to-head record against Shelton to 2-0.

The victory continued a recent trend for Tien against higher-ranked opponents; he now has a 6-5 career mark against the game’s top players. He will face No. 18 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the fourth round and arrives with an 0-1 head-to-head deficit as he pursues his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

Tien emphasized his match approach regardless of ranking or reputation. “Whether I’m a favorite or whether I’m an underdog, I go out, and I don’t really think about it,” he said. “Rankings and previous matches go out the window. You’re just trying to work through the current match. Whether I’m a favorite or whether I’m not, I just go out there and I just try to compete as hard as I can.”