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This is an archive article published on March 15, 2012

Wozniacki topples further,loses to Ivanovic

After losing No. 1 position in Janaury,defending champion bows out in fourth round at Indian Wells

Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki was beaten by 2008 winner Ana Ivanovic on Tuesday,who produced sizzling tennis from the baseline to triumph 6-3 6-2 in the fourth round. The Serb will next meet seventh seed Marion Bartoli of France after she breezed past Czech Lucie Safarova 6-1 6-4.

Ivanovic broke Wozniacki three times in the opening set and twice in the second,leaping into the air in delight when she clinched victory after one hour 10 minutes. “I’m very happy,” the 24-year-old Serb said after beating the Dane for the first time since the 2008 French Open,which she went on to win.

“I didn’t do much wrong today besides the first few games on my serve. I’m really pleased the way I was aggressive.”

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World number one Victoria Azarenka,a 6-3 6-1 winner over Julia Goerges,moved on to play fifth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska,who advanced when American wild card Jamie Hampton retired trailing 3-6 6-4 3-0.

Federer,Nadal move into Rd 4

Fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer was ousted from Indian Wells on Tuesday as Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer both moved into the fourth round. Ferrer was upset 6-4 6-3 by Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin,Nadal swept past fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-1 6-4 and Federer survived an early storm from Milos Raonic before completing a 6-7 6-2 6-4 victory.

Claycourt specialist Ferrer,had won titles in Auckland,Buenos Aires and Acapulco this year and had lost only once in 20 ATP matches this season before struggling badly on his second serve as he was outplayed by the 51st-ranked Istomin.

Second seed Nadal,Indian Wells champion in 2007 and 2009,dominated Granollers with his superb baseline game but lost a bit of momentum in the second set before triumphing in one hour,25 minutes with an ace on his fifth match point. Federer was stunned by Raonic’s power serving in the opening set but delivered a master class in the next two before wrapping up the win in just over two hours when the towering Canadian netted a forehand. The Swiss,who had never previously played the 21-year-old,will next face Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci,who benefited from a walkover when Russian Nikolay Davydenko withdrew due to illness.

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“I was impressed (by Raonic). He played great and made it hard for me by winning that first set tiebreaker. He kept himself in the match till the very end,and obviously put a lot of pressure on me. I think the longer I stayed out there the better I started feeling,” Federer said.

Big-serving Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina survived a shaky second set to beat Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco 6-2 7-6 in the first match of the day on the stadium court. Sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France battled back to beat Czech Radek Stepanek 6-7 6-3 6-2 while Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov scraped past Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 5-7 6-4.

Paes,Sania in quarters

Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek saw off Juan Monaco and Kei Nishikori 7-6(5) 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals where they face Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal. Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina also moved to quarters after beating Timea Bacsinszky and Alberta Brianti 6-1 3-6 10-2. They play Argentines Gisela Dulko and Paola Suarez.

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