Murray, Ferrer fall at Indian Wells
Andy Murray of Scotland returns a shot to Donald Yound during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. American qualifier Young upset world number five Murray 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in the second round of the $9 million WTA and ATP Indian Wells hardcourt tournament on Saturday.
American qualifier Donald Young upset world number five Murray 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in the second round of the WTA and ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Scotsman Murray looked rusty in his opening match at Indian Wells and in his first career meeting against the 21-year-old Young. Murray has now lost the last six sets he has played.
"I started the match well but then when it got close I didn't do anything to lift myself," said Murray. "The crowd was for him and then he started to play better and I didn't play my way back into the match."
It marked the first victory over a top-10 opponent for Young, who has a 3-3 record this year.
Young advanced to the third round, where he will face Tommy Robredo of Spain who beat Mischa Zverev 6-3, 3-6. 7-5.
Spain's Ferrer was also sent crashing, falling in the second-round to unseeded Ivo Karlovic.
The 32-year-old Croatian hammered nine aces to win 7-6 (7/3), 6-3. Ferrer had already won titles this year in Auckland and Acapulco.
Karlovic is ranked 239th in the world, well off his career high ranking of 14th in 2008. He has a 5-7 record this year and has reached just one quarter-final in Doha.
But on Saturday, Karlovic closed out the 96-minute match with an ace to post his first win over Ferrer in three career meetings.
Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro continued his comeback from a wrist injury by rallying to beat defending champ Ljubicic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
A year ago former world No. 3 Ljubicic beat Novak Djokovic in the final but del Potro was too much for him to handle Saturday.
Del Potro has rebounded from an injury-marred 2010 to reach back-to-back semi-finals in San Jose and Memphis and then go on to win his eighth career title in Delray Beach this year.
There were surprises on the women's side Saturday as well, as Dinara Safina of Russia ousted former two-time Indian Wells champion Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
Safina won despite committing eight double faults, including three in the fourth game of the first set where she struggled to hold serve. She then went on to win three of the final four games in the first set.
"It definitely feels good," Safina said. "I was trying very hard and fighting.
"She had two set points in the first set. I pulled them out, and then I started to play a little bit better. I'm really happy with the win today."
Safina missed three months last year with a back injury but feels her game is starting to come around.
"I still think that there is much more work to do for me to come back, you know. With each win it gives me a little bit of inspiration, like come on, keep believing."
Former world No. 1 Safina next faces Australian Samantha Stosur, who rolled over Laura Pous-Tio of Spain 6-2, 6-2.
In other matches, India's Somdev Devvarman defeated Marcos Baghdatis 7-5, 6-0 and Aravane Rezai of France beat China's Zhang Shuai 7-6 (7/5), 6-0.