Cobolli Comes Back Against Kecmanovic: Winning Start At Indian Wells

Flavio Cobolli defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open, overcoming a difficult first set to book his spot in the third round at Indian Wells.

The Roman, seeded 15th in the tournament, struggled early against the Serb, ranked 58th in the world, dropping the first set 6-3 in thirty-eight minutes. From the second set onwards, the match changed: Cobolli raised his level on serve, landed a decisive break and returned the 6-3 with authority. In the third set, the script repeated itself, with the Italian breaking his opponent's serve and closing out 6-4 without ever losing control of the rallies.

It is the second consecutive win against Kecmanovic within a week. In Acapulco, the two faced each other in the semifinal, with Cobolli winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 before going on to claim the title by beating Frances Tiafoe in the final. The Italian arrives at Indian Wells in the best form of his season: after a tricky start, the turning point came between Delray Beach and Acapulco, with a third ATP title to his name and a career-high ranking of world number 15. Now he faces the third round in the Californian desert, where he will look to extend a run that is starting to resemble the maturity of a player ready to break into the top ten.