INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Teenagers Frances Tiafoe and Brona Coric grabbed the center-court spotlight when the men joined the women for first-round play Thursday in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Tiafoe outlasted Taylor Fritz 3-6, 6-2, 3-6, in a battle of 18-year-old Americans, and Coric, a 19-year-old Croatian, beat Lucas Pouille of France 6-2, 7-5.
Those two matches helped kick off a formful opening day for the men, with Nicolas Mahut of France, Leonardo Mayer of Argentina and Robin Haase of the Netherlands also advancing. Mahut beat qualifier Renzo Olivo of Argentina 6-2, 6-4; Mayer ousted Sam Groth of Australia 6-4, 6-3; and Haase toppled Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-3, 6-4.