* Veteran Djokovic gets past Kovacevic in three sets
* Serb takes on defending champion Draper in last 16
* Alcaraz passes Rinderknech test to book Ruud clash
* Home favourites Fritz and Keys fall in third round
* Andreeva throws racket, yells at crowd after loss
INDIAN WELLS, United States: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz were both made to work hard before reaching the fourth round of Indian Wells on Monday but defending women's champion Mirra Andreeva crashed out and let her frustrations boil over on court.
Third seed Djokovic overcame a second-set reverse to beat American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 and reach the last 16 for the first time since 2017, setting up a clash with holder Jack Draper, who swept past Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 7-5.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who has claimed a record-equalling five titles at the Californian desert event, said he had been managing a forearm problem for the past two weeks.
"It's a bit odd: The more I serve, the better I feel, but it comes on and off if I get cold," Djokovic told Tennis Channel.
"If I don't serve for five or six minutes then I feel like the first couple of serves of that game are a bit painful. I'm working through it. It's not something I haven't faced before.
"I'm trying to manage my body and mental state on a daily basis so I can be peaking as much as I possibly can on a given day ... It's not going to get easier ... Draper is next and playing at a high level again, but I love the challenge."
Britain's Draper, playing his second event after an arm injury of his own, was in commanding form as he breezed through the opening set before enduring a stiff challenge from his Argentine opponent in the second.
Alcaraz was also tested by Arthur Rinderknech and faced the threat of losing his first match of the year after dropping the first set and his serve early in the second, but the world number one recovered to prevail 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-2.
The Spaniard rolled his ankle midway through the contest but shrugged off the injury scare and pulled level, before switching gears to improve his record in 2026 to 14-0.
Up next for the twice champion is Casper Ruud, who downed Rinderknech's cousin Valentin Vacherot 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
SINIAKOVA STUNS ANDREEVA
Katerina Siniakova caused the biggest upset of the day in the women's draw by beating Andreeva 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3, prompting the defending champion to throw her racket towards her chair and storm off the court after shouting at a section of the crowd.
"There were a lot of emotions that I was going through after the loss," said Andreeva, who also smashed a racket earlier.
"But of course I'm not really proud of how I managed it ... Those are the things that I really need to work on soon. Not in the future but whenever I get the chance."
Siniakova's Czech compatriot Karolina Muchova was equally impressive as she defeated Croatian Antonia Ruzic 6-0, 6-3, while Swiss Belinda Bencic eased past Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-3.
Second seed Iga Swiatek, twice champion at Indian Wells, overpowered Maria Sakkari with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win but it was the end of the road for American Madison Keys who crashed 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 against Briton Sonay Kartal.
Fifth seed Jessica Pegula kept the flag flying for United States by recovering to defeat former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and step into the fourth round.
Fellow American Alex Michelsen earlier ousted seventh seed and home favourite Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6(6) in the men's draw and Briton Cameron Norrie continued his run by beating Australian sixth seed Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata also caught the eye, recovering from a first-set tie-break deficit to defeat Kazakh 10th seed Alexander Bublik 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3 in a hard-fought contest lasting over 2-1/2 hours.
Russia's Daniil Medvedev was in no mood to waste time as he saw off Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-0 in 78 minutes to close out the evening's action on the men's side. — Reuters
ATP/WTA Indian Wells results
Men (third round)
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP x1) bt Arthur Rinderknech (FRA x26) 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-2; Casper Ruud (NOR x13) bt Valentin Vacherot (MON x24) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Rinky Hijikata (AUS) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ x10) 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Cameron Norrie (GBR x27) bt Alex De Minaur (AUS x6) 6-4, 6-4; Novak Djokovic (SRB x3) bt Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4; Jack Draper (GBR x14) bt Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x19) 6-1, 7-5; Daniil Medvedev (RUS x11) bt Sebastián Báez (ARG) 6-4, 6-0; Alex Michelsen (USA) bt Taylor Fritz (USA x7) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6)
Women (third round)
Jessica Pegula (USA x5) bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x26) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Belinda Bencic (SUI x12) bt Elise Mertens (BEL x22) 6-2, 6-3; Sonay Kartal (GBR) bt Madison Keys (USA x15) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3; Elena Rybakina (KAZ x3) bt Marta Kostyuk (UKR x28) 6-4, 6-4; Katerina Siniaková (CZE) bt Mirra Andreeva (RUS x8) 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3; Elina Svitolina (UKR x9) bt Ashlyn Krueger (USA) 6-4, 6-2; Karolína Muchová (CZE x13) bt Antonia Ruzic (CRO) 6-0, 6-3; Iga Swiatek (POL x2) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE x32) 6-3, 6-2
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