Draper, Bencic Shock Top Players in Indian Wells Quarterfinals

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — In an upset-filled Wednesday at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open, Britain’s Jack Draper defeated the No. 3 seed, Taylor Fritz, in straight sets, while former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic knocked out American star Coco Gauff, advancing both to the quarterfinals.

Draper, a US Open semifinalist, overcame Fritz with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-4, securing his place as the only American man reaching the last eight. Draper credited his strong serving for his win: “I played a really high-level match. I think I struggled here in the past with my serve, but I thought that I served great today, and I think that put a lot of pressure on him.”

Next up for Draper is emerging talent Ben Shelton, who, at 22 years old, became the youngest American man to reach the Indian Wells quarterfinals since 2004. Shelton advanced by defeating fellow American Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (6), 6-1. Shelton secured the second set with a swift 5-0 lead, achieving victory following a 61-minute opening set.

In the women’s draw, Bencic delivered a surprising performance, defeating Gauff, the reigning US Open champion, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in a match that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. Bencic showcased resilience by winning 69% of her first-serve points. “Obviously, this is why you are practicing and working hard all your life, so it’s super nice to play in this kind of atmosphere,” she said after the match.

Gauff struggled with her serve throughout the tournament, recording eight double faults against Bencic, including three in a single game during the first set. Notably, as she faced elimination on the eve of her 21st birthday, Gauff expressed disappointment when Bencic broke her at 4-4 in the final set.

Bencic will now face Madison Keys, another American who extended her win streak to 15 matches. Keys overcame 19th-seeded Donna Vekic with a comeback victory, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3. “So I just wanted to try to play really tough the first game and just try to get the thing that I was doing well in order to close out that set,” said Keys, reflecting on her performance.

Meanwhile, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz has continued his relentless march towards the title without dropping a set. He dispatched Grigor Dimitrov 6-1, 6-1, and next faces Argentine player Francisco Cerundolo, who beat Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-3.

With intensity building at the BNP Paribas Open, both the men’s and women’s brackets promise excitement as fan favorites and underdogs alike vie for the prestigious title in Indian Wells.