Madison Keys complicated things but ultimately managed to beat Elise Mertens 6-2 6-7 (8) 6-4 and avoid what would have been an absolutely shocking loss in the Indian Wells third round.
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The American, who entered the clash riding a 13-match winning streak, claimed breaks in the fourth and eighth games to bag the first set.
After sealing the first set, the No. 5 seed blew an early second-set break but earned another one in th eighth game for a 5-3 lead.
Then, the drama starts as Keys double faults four times when serving for the match and blows two match points. In the second-set tie-break, the home favorite missed out on two more set points as 28th-seeded Mertens stunningly managed to force a decider.
Just as was the case in the second set, the reigning Australian Open champion blew an early break but earned another one in the seventh game to go 4-3 up. But this time, the American was able to hold to her serve and get the job done after converting her sixth match point.
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Keys gets her 14th consecutive win, could meet next an American
In the Indian Wells round-of-16, the world No. 7 will battle against the winner of the match between 10th-seeded American Emma Navarro and No. 19 seed Donna Vekic.
While the 30-year-old didn't deliver a convincing performance against Mertens, she still found a way to win and improve her winning streak to 14 matches.
"Obviously momentum is great but I think at the same time being able to kind of reset and have time and be 100% ready is also really important. I think momentum is great, but if you're flying all over the world and you're not 100%, then momentum doesn't really mean anything," Keys said earlier this week.
If the American - who also won Adelaide before the Australian Open - claims the Indian Wells, she would complete a three-peat for the first time in her career.
