From defending champ Elena Rybakina to Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen, 6 top 10 seeds bite the dust in Indian Wells women's singles before 3R

Zheng Qinwen's shock second-round elimination from the 2024 Indian Wells recently left the tournament's WTA main draw without 6 of the top 10 seeds, heading into the third round.

Australian Open runner-up and eighth seed Zheng was defeated 4-6, 3-6 by compatriot Yuan Yue. It marked Yue's first career win against a top-10 player. As a result, Zheng became the sixth WTA top 10 player to exit the tournament, following in the footsteps of defending champion Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova and Jelena Ostapenko.

While Zheng, Pegula, Jabeur, and Ostapenko lost their respective second-round matches, Rybakina and Vondrousova withdrew from the WTA 1000 event. Fifth seed Pegula lost to Anna Blinkova and Jabeur was stunned by Katie Volynets. Meanwhile, tenth seed Ostapenko tasted defeat at the hands of Angelique Kerber.

Defending champion Rybakina's withdrawal came hours ahead of her second-round match against Nadia Podoroska due to gastrointestinal illness. Reigning Wimbledon champion Vondrousova's withdrawal before her third-round encounter against Marta Kostyuk remains shrouded in mystery as she did not cite any specific reason for her exit.

These developments have left Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Maria Sakkari as the only remaining top 10 seeds in the tournament.

Iga Swiatek and Linda Noskova set to lock horns at 2024 Indian Wells after Australian Open shocker

Top seed Swiatek's third-round opponent at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells is 19-year-old Linda Noskova, who got the better of Camila Giorgi in the second round. The Pole and the Czech met each other earlier at the Australian Open this year.

Swiatek was one of the favorites to win the women's singles title Down Under and add to her collection of four Grand Slams. However, after her narrow second-round win in Melbourne against Danielle Collins, she was stunned by Noskova as the teenager roared back from a set down to win their third-round match 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka also faces a tricky third-round match at Indian Wells as she is set to take on wildcard and 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu. The Belarusian survived an almighty scare in the second round against Peyton Stearns. This would be the first meeting between the pair.

Gauff, the third seed, looks to have the easiest third-round match on paper. The 19-year-old will play Lucia Bronzetti for a place in the fourth round. The only other top 10 seed remaining in the women's draw, Maria Sakkari, will face Caroline Garcia.