BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells March 4th - 15th

I expect Linda Noskova to end the popular Alex Eala's run in Indian Wells. She has too much power and after a good win against Sorana Cirstea she will be confident of another win. Talia Gibson is a good price to beat Jasmine Paolini assuming she can cope with the occasion. Her defeat of Clara Tauson is good form to beat an out of sorts Italian. In the bottom half Iga Swiatek looks like she is enjoying Indian Wells and will prove a difficult player to beat now she has won a couple of matches. Beating Muchova will be a big confidence booster if she can pull off this win.

DTM recommends

L.Noskova to beat A.Eala

T.Gibson to beat J.Paolini

I.Swiatek to beat K.Muchova

A better day yesterday and the form of Mirra Andreeva left DTM feeling excited for the remainder of the tournament:) The third round onwards leaves no room for any lapses of form. Seeded players are more than likely the rest of the event. Big names all the way. However many look like they are vulnerable on a surface and in conditions which are unlike the rest of the year. Slow courts, with a high bouncing surface and balls that are hard to control through the thin air mean results at this event have the potential of being different. If you are ever going to back Emma Raducanu to cause an upset then her match with Amanda Anisimova is a good option to consider. Anisimova lost a set to Blinkova! That is a concern and against Raducanu Anisimova can expect a much tougher match. Raducanu beat Anisimova twice last season in the early part of the year. DTM likes Raducanu to start well and win the first set. She may even go on and win in these conditions but winning set 1 is the sensible play:) The same investment on Marta Kostyuk to take the opening set against Elena Rybakina is worth considering. In terms of match victories, Jessica Pegula will beat Jelena Ostapenko and Mirra Andreeva will beat Siniakova:) 

DTM recommends

E.Raducanu to win set 1 v A.Anisimova

M.Kostyuk to win set 1 v E.Rybakina

J.Pegula to beat J.Ostapenko

M.Andreeva to beat K.Siniakova

Mirra Andreeva is trending in the right way. A few of her recent losses have been down to the odd point and opponents great play as oppose her own self capitulation. DTM believes she could go deep in her attempt to defend her title. Solana Sierra is an opponent she will beat. Ashlyn Krueger should have won last week in Austin. Her inability to take the first set despite a very healthy lead seemed to derail her and the chance was gone. However her first round win was impressive and she will fancy beating Samsonova today. With nothing to lose she should be the value to win.

DTM recommends

M.Andreeva to beat S.Sierra

A.Krueger to beat L.Samsonova

More than a few unusual results across the first round suggest Indian Wells is going to be the odd one out in relation to following the form guide. Caution should be noted given some of the results. As the seeds now take centre stage there are definitely a few that should prevail.

Alex Eala takes to the court against Dayana Yastremska. Based on all available stats Eala wins this match if recent form surfaces. Coco Gauff is another player to watch with interest. Her game is facing the right direction and with less emphasis on the serve she may well play to her ranking this week. She should enjoy playing Rakhimova:) Elsewhere Shnaider has a good shot at beating Cirstea who looked off it in a long duel with Tatjana Maria. 

DTM recommends

A.Eala to beat D.Yastremska

C.Gauff to beat K.Rakhimova

D.Shnaider to beat S.Cirstea

Quite a few players return from injury at Indian Wells. So it is worth watching these players, like Eva Lys play a match before forming a view. The same can be said of Kostyuk in round 2 and Hailey Baptiste. Injuries are sometimes used as cover for missing an event. Lys injury was clearly genuine but my view is Baptiste was simply very tired and wanted to recover. This should be a legitimate reason but for some reason the WTA tour encourage players using injury in a loose, preventative sense to pull out of events at the last minute. 

Looking at known first round matches, players who like the conditions against out of form players who don’t like the conditions is a great starting point. Katie Volynets will like the conditions and Sramkova won’t. Sorana Cirstea will take the win v Tatjana Maria. 

DTM recommends

K.Volynets to beat R.Sramkova

S.Cirstea to beat T.Maria

V.Gracheva to beat L.Tagger

P.Stearns to beat S.Sierra

On first glance the section of the draw to concentrate on is Coco Gauff’s. This is a section full of opportunity with the vast majority of the players preferring faster conditions. Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini are two that will like the conditions. Of the two Gauff is in better form. Her serve will be under less pressure here than elsewhere. DTM expects her to win this section and potentially go deep in Indian Wells.

Mirra Andreeva is close to another good run. Iga Swiatek could be struggling more than it appears. Andreeva is the value in the very bottom quarter to reach the semi finals. 

DTM recommends

C.Gauff to win her quarter

M.Andreeva to win her quarter 

Mirra Andreeva defends her title for the second consecutive 1000 event. For the first time since the Australian Open we have a stellar field with everyone returning to action. The section with the most opportunities is the bottom section of the top half. DTM expects Coco Gauff to continue her better form. In the bottom half Jessica Pegula looks good to reach the quarter final where her seeded opponent should be Elena Rybakina. Of those two players Pegula looks more likely to progress.

The number #1 seed Aryna Sabalenka can still be expected to be the player to beat. Some big names lie in wait but she remains the player to beat. The most interesting story to come out from this event will be the form of Iga Swiatek who as #2 seed is expected to go deep in a favourable surface for her. DTM would watch with interest as DTM would rather have Mirra Andreeva to go further from this section. 

Katie Boulter heads the seeds in a very strong looking qualifying draw. She opens up against Victoriya Tomova. The courts after day 1 of the qualifying event looked slow. Players who enjoy this type of court speed were doing best yeserterday. It will be an interesting week but do not dismiss in form players who usually do well on clay.