Indian Wells, CA (My Sportsbook) - Sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic snuck into the fourth round, while third-seeded Victoria Azarenka and 14th-seeded Kim Clijsters were third-round losers Monday at the $4.5 million BNP Paribas Open tennis event.
Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, the 28th seed, took down Azarenka of Belarus 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 at the beautiful Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Another upset came when 23rd-seeded Russian Alisa Kleybanova upended former world No. 1 Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) in two hours, 36 minutes.
The U.S. Open champion Clijsters raced out to a 4-0 lead in the third-set tiebreaker. Kleybanova, though, ripped off the next seven points to stun Clijsters, the Indian Wells winner in 2003 and 2005.
Jankovic of Serbia outlasted Italian Sara Errani, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 in two hours, 48 minutes to secure her spot in the fourth round. Jankovic won despite committing 57 unforced errors, compared to 42 for Errani.
Former world No. 1 Jankovic was down two games, 4-2, in the final set before winning the final four games to claim victory.
Eighth-seeded Aussie Samantha Stosur moved on by besting 25th-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-3, 6-0. Pavlyuchenkova captured her first-ever WTA title in Mexico just two weeks ago.
Russian Vera Zvonareva, the 12 seed, handled Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia, 6-2, 6-3, while Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, the 13 seed, ousted Italian Roberta Vinci, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Zvonareva beat Ana Ivanovic in last year's Indian Wells finale.
In additional Day 6 action, 17th-seeded Israeli Shahar Peer upended ninth- seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta, 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, while Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro took down 27th-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
The 2010 Indian Wells winner will earn a hefty $700,000.