Blinkova and Zakharova advance to Indian Wells second round

On 2026-03-05, Russian players Anna Blinkova and Anastasia Zakharova won their opening matches to reach the second round of the Indian Wells tournament in California. Their progress keeps them in the draw for more WTA ranking points and prize money at one of the tour’s biggest events, alongside stars such as Mirra Andreeva, Naomi Osaka, and Coco Gauff. The early rounds have also seen notable stories including Venus Williams’ first‑round exit and Emma Raducanu’s strong return performance.