Wozniacki cruises past Arruabarrena in Indian Wells opener

California, March 11: Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki powered her way into the third round at the Indian Wells Masters after defeating Lara Arruabarrena.

Kicking off her Indian Wells campaign having been gifted a first-round bye, world number two Wozniacki accounted for the Spaniard 6-4 6-1 on Saturday (March 10).

Arruabarrena was an immovable force until she was broken in the 10th game as Wozniacki claimed the first set and it was one-way traffic from that point.

Wozniacki reeled off six consecutive games – the Danish star cruising through as Arruabarrena bowed out with barely a whimper following an evenly-contested opener.

With a backhand beauty, @CaroWozniacki marches onto the @BNPPARIBASOPEN third round! #BNPPO18 pic.twitter.com/0uH2pk3Rcr

— WTA (@WTA) March 11, 2018

It was a tug-of-war in the first set, Arruabarrena going toe-to-toe with Wozniacki, who broke through for her maiden grand slam at the Australian Open in January.

Arruabarrena fought hard, saving five break points in the fourth game as the set somehow stayed on serve.

And Arruabarrena fended off another two in her next service game but the 25-year-old eventually came unstuck at the worst possible moment – Wozniacki taking out the first set with the solitary break.

The disappointment of losing that set was clear to see for Arruabarrena, who completely lost her way as she crumbled.

Wozniacki showed no mercy, though Arruabarrena restored some pride after avoiding a second-set bagel and saving two match points before the former set up a third-round meeting with Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Source: OPTA