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Karolina Pliskova US Open 2021
Tennis News, WTA Tennis Players

Karolina Pliskova loses to player ranked outside top-100 for second time in 2021


Indian Wells top seed Karolina Pliskova lost her third round match against a lucky loser who has never been ranked within the world’s top-50.

With Ashleigh Barty and Aryna Sabalenka not present at the WTA 1000 event, world number three Pliskova was handed the number one seed at Indian Wells.

After dismissing Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech in her opening match, the Czech took on Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia for a place in the fourth round.

With the Brazilian ranked at 115 in the world, Pliskova was the heavy favourite to claim victory. But no such luck for the 29-year-old as she never led throughout the two hours contest.

A total of thirteen breaks exchanged between the two women saw Haddad Maia triumph 6-3, 7-5 to progress to the fourth round.

Pliskova lost to a player ranked outside the top-100 once already this year. That result came at the Abu Dhabi Open in January, where the Czech lost to world number 292 Russian Anastasia Gasanova.

At Indian Wells, Haddad Maia is making just her sixth appearance in a WTA 1000 main draw. Her previous best result came at the 2018 Miami Open, reaching the third round.

Haddad Maia is also paying just her fifth WTA tour level event of 2021 at Indian Wells, but has otherwise played 17 ITF tournaments.

The Brazilian will next face 18th seed Anett Kontaveit, the player who ousted defending champion Bianca Andreescu in the third round.


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