British star Cameron Norrie battles past Jiri Lehecka to reach the third round at Indian Wells, while top seed Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Casper Ruud crash out.

Norrie Rallies to Victory
British number two Cameron Norrie staged an impressive comeback to defeat 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka and advance to the third round of Indian Wells 2025. The 29-year-old fought back from a set down to secure a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over the Czech.

Norrie, ranked 77th in the world, will now face 10th seed Tommy Paul, who eased past Tristan Boyer 6-3, 6-1. The Brit, who previously won his biggest career title at Indian Wells in 2021, continues his strong record at the ATP Masters 1000 event, having reached at least the quarter-finals in three of the past four years.

Zverev and Ruud Stunned in Early Exits
Top seed Alexander Zverev suffered a shock defeat, despite winning the opening set against Dutch world number 43 Tallon Griekspoor. Griekspoor fought back to claim a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4) win, setting up a third-round clash against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

Zverev, who has struggled since losing the Australian Open final to world number one Jannik Sinner, admitted his form has been poor:

“It [becoming world number one] was on my mind at the start, but now it’s less because I’m just playing terrible. To be world number one, you have to win tournaments, and I’m not even getting past the first or second round.”

Meanwhile, fourth seed Casper Ruud also exited early, falling to American world number 48 Marcos Giron in a 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-2 defeat.

Big Names in Action Next
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, world number one Novak Djokovic, and American favorite Taylor Fritz will begin their campaigns on Saturday.

British number one Jack Draper, seeded 13th, is set to face Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca in the second round.

Stay tuned for more Indian Wells 2025 updates as the tournament heats up!