With only three of the top ten women present in Indian Wells, the men have been eclipsing the women in terms of on-court interest. This was evident today, and nowhere was the point better illustrated than in Agustin Calleri?s enthralling victory over the young Spanish hotshot, Rafael Nadal.

The most intense action on the women?s side has taken place in the interview room. Much of that interest was removed today when brash 14-year-old Sesil Karatanchava failed to deliver on her promise to kick Maria Sharapova?s you-know-what off.

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Agustin Calleri (22) def. Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (12-10)
Third round
Court 6
Previous head-to-head: First meeting

A small band of cognoscenti out on court 6 had the pleasure of watching the match of the tournament so far. In a stirring encounter, Argentina?s Agustin Calleri needed seven match points, and had to save two, before subduing the feisty Spanish teen Rafael Nadal (pictured at right) after 2 hours and 38 minutes of high-octane slugging.

Rafael Nadal has made himself the talk of the tour with his rapid ascent to the top 50 at the tender age of 17. The kid from Mallorca is remarkable to watch in action. Strongly built for his age, Nadal is also swift, and has the kind of savage intensity that can only be compared to Lleyton Hewitt. Grunting loudly with each shot as if he despises the ball, Nadal possesses a terrific, lashing forehand, and is capable of spectacular winners on the run. His enthusiastic on-court demeanour is also entertaining , as he celebrates his exploits with fist-pumping gestures and cries of ?Vamos!?

Today Nadal was up against an opponent with a huge game and steely, if less noisy, determination that matched his own. Calleri had needed to produce a very high level of tennis to subdue Robin Soderling in three long sets yesterday, and we wondered if he would have the resources to produce the same kind of performance on another hot afternoon. He certainly did.

Calleri hammered his returns of Nadal?s still-suspect serves with abandon, constantly worrying his young opponent?s service games. And he stepped into the ball smartly to hit cracking winners, particularly with his smooth but potent one-handed backhand. One thing we noticed today was that Calleri will sometimes hit high backhands while raising his back foot in the air. We see some players who employ the two-hander, such as Marat Safin and Marcelo Rios, do this, but we can?t recall seeing ano ther one-handed player hit skipping backhands before.

Each of the first two sets was decided by one break of serve. Calleri was getting plenty of break chances, and he finally took advantage of a sixth break point of the first set at 3-3, 15-40, by breaking up a hard-hitting rally with a drop shot that Nadal sprinted down, but could not lift over the net.

In the second set Nadal was in danger of going down a set and a break at 2-2, 0-40, but he fought back and saved the game after 2 deuces. Then it was Calleri?s turn to get in trouble in the following game. Nadal made good on his chance with what our informant (arguably Rafael?s biggest fan), described as a ?beautiful cross-court angle?. Nadal held confidently the rest of the way to level the match.

It was a lot to ask of a match this good to get even better, but in the third set it did. Nadal was often forced to retrieve Calleri?s mighty blows with spectacular scrambling, and he was capable of putting the Argentine in trouble with his own whipping forehands. The intense, high-quality, all-court tennis was a treat to watch.

At 5-5 of the third, Nadal notched a key break of serve in the most spectacular of fashions, unleashing a lunging forehand passing shot. On the seat of his pants, Nadal pumped his fists and screamed excitedly. With Nadal now serving for the match at 6-5, Calleri dug in his heels, and at 15-30 played a perfect forehand approach and drop volley to set up a double break point. The Argentine made good on his second chance when Nadal sent a running backhand beyond the baseline.

So to the tie-break we go to decide the match. Serving at 2-3, Nadal played two poor service points, losing them on backhand errors. Calleri then won his next two service points, and it was 6-2, quadruple match point for the Argentine. Nadal, fighting like a demon and grunting furiously, refused to go down. He saved the first match point with a cross-court forehand pass; on the second, the kid got a short ball and nailed a forehand winner with a scream; on the third, Calleri attacked the net, feathered a drop volley that Nadal ran down, and with both men at net Nadal won a nose-to-nose reflex volley exchange; on the fourth, Calleri again wanted to come in behind his forehand, but his approach shot was slightly mis-hit and it sailed long. Calleri wasted four match points, but only the fourth could be considered his fault.

We pick up the final tie-break at 6-6.

• AC serving: Another Calleri approach shot? Nadal is forced to hit a stunning stretch lob that lands on Calleri?s baseline, Calleri runs it down and sends it back. Nadal has a backhand winner on his racquet but drives it into the net! 7-6 Calleri, match point #5.
• RN: Calleri goes to net yet again. Nadal hits a perfect topspin lob, and the crowd erupts. 7-7.
• RN: Calleri dominates a baseline rally, gets a short ball and cracks a forehand winner. 8-7 Calleri, match point #6.
• AC: Calleri tightens up, hitting a forehand well long, and shakes his head at all these lost chances. 8-8.
• AC: Calleri gets to net again, but dumps a backhand volley half way up the net. 9-8, first match point for Nadal.
• RN: Nadal gets a short return from Calleri, has a forehand winner on his racquet, but nets it. 9-9
• RN: Calleri mis-hits a forehand that lands wide. 10-9 Nadal, match point #2.
• AC: Nadal runs down a Calleri drop volley but pushes his stretching reply just wide. 10-10.
• AC: Calleri wrong-foots Nadal, who makes an acrobatic, spinning recovery. But it lands short, and Calleri confidently comes in to nail the overhead. 11-10 Calleri, match point #7.
• RN: An anticlimactic finish: Nadal dumps a routine backhand into the net. Game, set and match Calleri, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (12-10).

Calleri had been appreciative of Nadal throughout the contest, saying ?Buena!? after his fine shots, and he gave the kid a hug after the match. The small crowd stood and applauded both players, as if to thank them for this brilliant match won by the narrowest of margins. Calleri won 109 total points, to 107 to Nadal. In the end Calleri needed every bit of his versatility, powerful shot-making skill and class to prevail.

As for Nadal, who at age 17 is already a dangerous opponent for anyone, he confirmed his great potential. With more experience, a steadier backhand and a more penetrating serve (he hit zero aces over three long sets), he should soon be contending for Grand Slam titles. Perhaps sooner than we think?

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Maria Sharapova (24) def. Sesil Karantancheva (WC), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Third round
Stadium 2
Previous head-to-head: First meeting

Since Saturday, when 14-year-old Sesil Karatancheva?s verbal assault on Maria Sharapova took place, this match had been anticipated eagerly. The media seats at Stadium 2 were filled with reporters 10 minutes before the match, a rarity in the early rounds. When all was said and done, nobody?s ass got kicked off, the young wild card accounted well for herself, and Sharapova?s superior level of play won out.

Still, the match did not start auspiciously for Sharapova. It was a miserable first set for Maria, who was overanxious and sprayed a number of forehands well out of court. ?An absolute debacle,? as Sharapova accurately put it, and Karatancheva was a set away from the upset she craved. Karatancheva said she thought to herself, ??I had her right there, me, you know.?? But Sharapova steadied herself, and won the final two sets in relatively decisive fashion.

After the match there were no verbal fireworks, and nothing more than a rather limp handshake from Sesil for the press to discuss.

Next up for Maria Sharapova in the fourth round will be a compatriot, 4th seed Anastasia Myskina, who was unimpressive in her 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 triumph over a surprisingly hefty Maria Vento-Kabchi. With neither Sharapova nor Myskina showing their best form so far this week, it will be interesting to see which Russian can control her shots and anxiety the best. This will be a rematch of their third round tilt at the Australian Open in January, won by Myskina, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2. ?I?ve been looking forward to that match,? said Maria. ?I never like losing twice to a player.?

As for young Karatancheva, she is prohibited from playing any more WTA events until her 15th birthday in August. She will head back to the practice courts at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy with a big confidence boost (as if she needs any more confidence!) from her excellent run here. ?You know what, I proved that even 14, you can still fight with the big ones and that, you know, I have a lot more to do.? Sesil plans to play the junior competitions at the French Open and Wimbledon, and will attempt to fini sh the season as the world's top-ranked junior.

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Wandering in the desert

Chela shows defending champ Hewitt the door

Two-time defending champion Lleyton Hewitt was an early round casualty this afternoon, losing on the main stadium court to Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Chela was definitely on a good day, striking his ground strokes with pinpoint accuracy. The key moment of the third set came when Hewitt double-faulted on break point when serving at 1-2. From there, an increasingly flustered Hewitt put up little resistance and Chela ran out the remaining three games.

After the match Hewitt placed much of the blame for his performance on the balls being used here, which he claimed were fluffing up and getting too heavy. ?They?re massive, they?re ridiculous,? lamented the former number one. ?I?ve never played with balls that are getting that big.? Chela did not dispute that the heavy balls helped his game, which was honed on the slow clay courts of his homeland. ?I thought they were heavy,? said Chela through an interpreter. ?For me it was in my favour.?

Contrasting styles, dandy matches

Two of the better men?s matches today saw excellent counter-punchers attempting to ward off the attacks of accomplished serve-volleyers. Throughout the Guillermo Coria - Max Mirnyi clash, the court 6 fans oohed and ahed at the powerful serves and sharp volleys of Mirnyi, as well as the scrambling and brilliant passing shots of Coria. Finally, the speedy Argentine had the last word in an impressive 6-4, 7-5 triumph. Coria will have an interesting fourth round test on his plate against anothe r speedy little fellow, Frenchman Sébastien Grosjean, who subdued the determined Dutchman Raemon Sluiter, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4.

Another fine attacker-versus-defender tilt saw the French serve-volleyer Nicolas Escudé do battle with the rampant Vincent Spadea, who is fresh off his first career title in Scottsdale earlier this month. Escudé had to produce his best stuff to edge out the incisive Spadea, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), converting on match point with a two-handed backhand winner. We?ve been impressed with Escudé?s form this week, and the slender Frenchman may be a tough opponent for one of the tournament favourites, 3rd seed Andy Roddick, in the fourth round. Roddick?s much anticipated duel with Marat Safin fizzled after an interesting first set. Roddick won going away, 7-6(6), 6-2.

Suarez stymied, Kuznetsova hangs on

The highest women?s seed to lose today was #8 Paola Suarez, who played poorly in a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Barbara Schett this afternoon. Suarez, who is coming back from a brief layoff caused by a left calf injury, by all rights should have lost two days ago, when she was down and almost out of her match against Tatiana Golovin, trailing by a set and 1-5. In that match, Paola?s young opponent got nervous and wasted the big lead. The veteran Schett, a former top ten player who has fallen on h ard times in recent years, did Suarez no such favours today.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 12th seed, came here as one of the women to watch by virtue of her recent title in Doha, where she was the first player to inflict a loss on top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne this year. Kuznetsova survived a major scare today, fighting off two match points in the second set tie-break before pulling away from hard-serving Aussie Alicia Molik, 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-2. Should Svetlana defeat American Amy Frazier on Wednesday, she will likely force a quarterfinal rematch with Henin. Justine scored another routine win, squashing Marta Marrero 6-1, 6-2.

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Quotable quotes

Two of today?s winners were asked to comment on Lleyton Hewitt?s complaints about the heavy balls.

Andre Agassi feels the balls are fluffing up because of the gritty texture of the courts. ?I don?t think it?s necessarily a function of the balls being different. I just think that when you play a Hewitt against Chela, both guys hitting a lot of balls, one guy hitting a lot of spin for a long period of time on a gritty hard court, the balls are going to turn into watermelons. That?s expected.?

Roger Federer: ?I think the ball plays fair. You have to adapt anyway. You have to play with what you get. I look and I don?t find excuses.?