The last time 25-year-old Yuki played at a Masters event was in 2009 at Miami.
Yuki Bhambri outsmarted Ramkumar Ramanathan in the battle of top Indians to qualify for the Indian Wells ATP Masters event, his first 1000 series tournament in nine years.
Yuki, seeded ninth in the qualifiers, prevailed 6-4 6-2 in the second and final qualifying round to make it to the season's first Master series event. Yuki now leads head-to-head record 3-1 against the 22-year-old Ramkumar.
The last time 25-year-old Yuki played at a Masters event was in 2009 at Miami.
In his opening round in the main draw, Yuki will fight it out with fellow qualifier Nicolas Mahut, ranked 101, and if he manages to cross the first hurdle he will be up against world number 12 Lucas Pouille from France.
Sharapova fizzles
Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova's return to the BNP Paribas Open for the first time in three years ended in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka of Japan. Sharapova's ranking of No. 41 in the world forced her to play a first-round match in the tournament she has won twice. She trailed 4-1 in the first set before holding serve at 4-all. But Osaka held to go up 5-4 and broke Sharapova on a double fault to close out the set.
Ranked 44th in the world, Osaka took a 4-2 lead in the second set. Sharapova broke to tie it 4-all before Osaka won the final two games to end the 1 1/2-hour match. Sam Stosur overcame a slow start to beat American Lauren Davis 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Two American teenagers advanced to the second round. Amanda Anisimova defeated 94th-ranked Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 6-2 for her first WTA Tour victory. The 16-year-old Anisimova, who earned a wild card into the main draw, is the U.S. Open junior champion.
Caroline Dolehide, a 19-year-old wild card, fired 11 aces in outlasting 78th-ranked Shelby Rogers, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 in 2 1/2 hours.
In other matches on the first day of the two-week tournament, Belinda Bencic saved a match point in beating Timea Babos, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), while wild card Genie Bouchard lost to qualifier Sachia Vickery, 6-3, 6-4.
Serena Williams returns to the tour for the first time in 14 months Thursday when she plays a first-round match.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Yuki Bhambri")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}