BNP Paribas Open: Gauff retires third round with left arm injury, Tien defeats Shelton

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – The BNP Paribas Open has been headlined by top players and some unpredicted outcomes for the third round of singles play.

World No. 4 Coco Gauff shocked fans by retiring the game in the middle of the second set against Alexandra Eala. According to media officials, Gauff had to retire the game due to a left arm injury, which takes her out of the running for the BNP Paribas Open women's singles title.

Eala, the No. 1 player from the Philippines has taken the tennis world by storm after her breakout season in 2025. She had a semifinal run at the Miami Open, where she defeated three former Grand Slam champions in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. Eala is making her debut at the BNP Paribas Open this season.

Staying on the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka is continuing to shine on the court, just like her new engagement ring. She took over Romania's Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets at 6-4, 6-1. Sabalenka, the two time finalist at the BNP and 2019 double champion, is looking to earn her first singles title in Tennis Paradise.

Heading over to men's singles, Learner Tien showing his power on the court Sunday with a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 win against World No. 8 Ben Shelton. Tien came into the match ranked World No. 27 and is expected to see a rankings boost from the win.

Shelton was said to be fighting an illness early in the second round, but that's not to say Tien didn't show immense strength in game play on the court. Tien will now join the last 16 in just his second ever appearance at the BNP.

Another player to watch on the men's side is Italy's Jannik Sinner. The World No. 2 ranked athlete has won five of the six ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournaments, and needs the BNP title to complete his set. In the third round on Sunday, he defeated Canada's Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-2.