WTA Indian Wells: Preview and Predictions

(Seed)

The 2015 BNP Paribas Open gets underway today on the hard courts of Indian Wells, California. This is the first Premier Mandatory event for the women this year, meaning that if you’re ranked highly enough, you HAVE TO PLAY! The draw’s been made and here are my predictions as to what will happen this week through to the quarter finals.

1st Quarter: Prediction- (1) Serena Williams vs (10) Lucie Safarova

Serena’s back in Indian Wells for the 1st time since 2001! So much for the Premier Mandatory rule! Find out why she’s been away and why she’s decided to come back here. Click on the link at the bottom of the page! Though she hasn’t played a tournament since winning the Australian Open, due to ill health, she has to be favoured to come through her section, even if that includes (13) Angelique Kerber and (22) Svetlana Kuznetsova. How can you bet against Serena? Safarova’s on a high coming in off the Doha title, but could well encounter tough resistance against either (8) Ekaterina Makarova or (22) Timea Bacsinszky, particularly if its the latter, considering she’s won her last two events in Acapulco and Monterrey. Still, I give Lucie the edge as she has more power to hit through the slow courts.

2nd Quarter: Prediction- (3) Simona Halep vs (17) Barbora Zahlavova Strycova

Simona’s advance is a bit of a punt because she’s in the same section as both (14) Karolina Pliskova and (19) Garbine Muguruza. These two have both been playing great recently and have either pushed (as in Pliskova) or beaten Simona this year (as in Muguruza). If Pliskova does as she did in the semis of Dubai and removes Garbine, then I give Simona the edge as she beat Karolina in that final. If that doesn’t happen then I predict Muguruza will beat Halep in the 4th round. Barbora has also been very solid this year, and I can’t help thinking that (7) Radwanska will be out-powered in the 3rd round by either Julia Goerges or Camila Giorgi. Barbora will then reap the rewards, her versatile game outmanouvering a bigger hitter in the 4th round.

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3rd Quarter: (9) Andrea Petkovic vs (4) Caroline Wozniacki

Andrea’s a tough fighter who has won Antwerp and worked her way back into the top 10 this year. I expect a marathon 3rd round match against (20) Alize Cornet and favour Andrea to outdo (6) Eugenie Bouchard should the two face off in the 4th round. Caroline, fresh off a title in Kuala Lumpur, could face dangerous Kaia Kanepi in the 2nd round, but her biggest test could well lie in the 4th round against Australian Open semi finalist, (16) Madison Keys. Still, I expect Caroline to absorb Madison’s pace and big serve well and advance.

4th Quarter: (5) Ana Ivanovic vs (2) Maria Sharapova

Ana’s biggest test should come in the 3rd round against (25) Caroline Garcia, who beat Ana easily just last week in Monterrey. I’d imagine Ana will have learnt a lot from that match and will be wiser this time around. She shouldn’t have any trouble against either (11) Sara Errani or (24) Sabine Lisicki in the 4th round, should they all advance. Maria, recovering from a recent stomach upset, will have her hands full against (32) Victoria Azarenka, who is still on the comeback trail from injury. Victoria looked good in Doha, until the final when she appeared injured again but will undoubtedly test Maria in a rematch of the 2012 Indian Wells final! Maria could well then face defending champion, (15) Flavia Pennetta, who she has lost to in the past on hard courts. It will be VERY tough, but providing she’s healthy, I can’t bet against a survivor like Maria!

Next: Serena to return to Indian Wells

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