Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber advances, Paula Badosa withdraws at Indian Wells

Indian Wells: Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber beat Petra Martic 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of Indian Wells on Wednesday while 2021 winner Paula Badosa withdrew ahead of her first round match with injury.

German Kerber, who returned to the tour in January after 18 months on maternity leave, beat Martic behind some solid serving on a sunny centre court before rain delayed play in the evening.

Kerber will have her hands full when she faces in-form Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in the second round on Friday.

Badosa was forced to withdraw due to a lower back injury and will be replaced by Nadia Podoroska of Argentina.

Italy’s Camila Giorgi and Americans Katie Volynets and Bernarda Pera were among the players to advance to the second round.

Andy Murray has struggled on court in recent months but the Briton delivered a serving master class to beat David Goffin 6-3, 6-2 in the first round.

In other first round matches, Brandon Nakashima never faced a break point as he beat fellow American Christopher Eubanks 6-3, 7-6(3) to set up a meeting with Czech Jiri Lehecka.

Australians Thanasi Kokkinakis and Christopher O’Connell, Japan’s Taro Daniel, and Hungarian Fabian Marozsan were among the other players advancing to the second round. Agencies

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