Sabalenka and Osaka through to last 16 at Indian Wells as Gauff retires with arm injury

[p]Eala, 20, was leading [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/eala-a-ppu9X7PH/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/?mid=lzilcT77"]6-2, 2-0[/a] when Gauff threw in the towel, having received treatment on her left arm during an injury timeout late in the final set.[/p][p]A trainer worked on Gauff's shoulder and arm and after she was broken in the final game of the opening set, returned to wrap her forearm.[/p][embed guid="b443ab9f-1097-40de-a733-833392655e9a" url="https://x.com/TennisChannel/status/2030828567416775142?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was to no avail, and Gauff went to the net and told Eala she was calling it a day after dropping her serve in the second game of the second set.[/p][p]"[b]I really didn't want to win this way,[/b]" Eala said.[/p][p]"[b]But this is still a really big moment for me to be able to play on Stadium One of Indian Wells and against such a great competitor,[/b]" she added, wishing Gauff a speedy recovery.[/p][p]Eala will face Czech Linda Noskova for a place in the quarter-finals.[/p][p]Japan's Osaka, seeded 16th, pounced for a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/osorio-serrano-m-c-rysUUciD/?mid=IZfYN1yp"]6-1, 3-6, 6-1 victory[/a] over Camila Osorio to avenge a demoralizing first-round loss to the Colombian here last year.[/p][p]Sabalenka is chasing a first title in the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 event after twice coming up empty in the final.[/p][p]Osaka won her first title in Indian Wells in 2018, going on to win the US Open that year in a run that included a victory over Sabalenka.[/p][embed guid="6220bafe-fd98-488f-9969-5273125ad0fa" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2030780088594145373?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]That's the only meeting to date between the two - who are now both four-time Grand Slam champions[/p][p]There were a few blips, notably a double fault on break point as she served for the opening set. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a] responded by breaking [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cristian-jaqueline/vo9FVe2A/"]Cristian[/a] to pocket the set and was satisfied [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cristian-j-a-vo9FVe2A/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=vPgYIFgm"]with an overpowering performance.[/a][/p][p][b]"I knew that she was not going to give up easily,"[/b] she said.[b] "That's why I was super-focused, especially on my serve. I didn't want to give her much opportunity so super-happy with the serving, with the game and of course with the win."[/b][/p][embed guid="cd9ec1b9-53bd-4c51-ac47-163eb790654d" url="https://x.com/WTA/status/2030784037468451122?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Sixth-seeded American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/anisimova-amanda/nwkutKbi/"]Amanda Anisimova[/a] faces another former Grand Slam champion in Britain's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raducanu-emma/YmIZde1B/"]Emma Raducanu[/a], who last month reached her first WTA final since her shock run to the 2021 US Open title.[/p][p]Fourth-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] headlines the night session, taking on rising Philippines star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eala-alexandra/ppu9X7PH/"]Alexandra Eala[/a] - who gets a quick chance for revenge after falling 6-0, 6-2 to the American in the Dubai quarter-finals last month.[/p][p][b]"I'm excited," [/b]Eala said.[b] "It was a tough match for me last time. I think she played really well. So all I can do is take the learnings that I have from our last match and try to implement that in our next one."[/b][/p][p]Gauff, coming off an "awkward" 6-3, 7-6 (5) win over qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rakhimova-kamilla/boU2UKtN/"]Kamilla Rakhimova[/a], can expect plenty of crowd support. But so can Eala, who is drawing her usual contingent of loyal Filipino fans in the California desert.[/p][p][b]"It means the world to have this community behind me in such a prestigious tournament,"[/b] Eala said after enthusiastic fans backed her through a chilly, late-night win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yastremska-dayana/CWtkHlUE/"]Dayana Yastremska[/a].[b] "It really added to the feelings and the emotions after the match."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/wta-singles/indian-wells/"][b]Follow Indian Wells with Flashscore.[/b][/a][/p]