As the fields continue to thin at Indian Wells, we preview and predict three must-see matches in the desert.
You never know what’s going to happen in any tennis match, but that goes double for this one. The 18-year-old Kasatkina is a talent, but she’s still a rookie finding her way on tour—ups will likely be followed by downs all year for her. Meanwhile, the big-serving, bomb-throwing Pliskova is, like fellow Czech Petra Kvitova, the queen of the up and down. She plays with little to no margin for error, and doesn't adjust even when she’s misfiring. By her own admission, she can be brilliant one day and awful the next. Let’s hope for the former from both Pliskova and Kasatkina in their first meeting.
Winner: Kasatkina
The 97th-ranked, 27-year-old Rybarikova has always had a decent game, but it took her until this week to show it. She’s knocked off the higher-ranked Daria Gavrilova, Belinda Bencic and Roberta Vinci in Indian Wells, though in beating Bencic she also gave us an idea of why her results have never matched her talent: With a lead in the third set, she nearly had a Novotna-at-Wimbledon nervous breakdown. In other words, even if Azarenka—who is 2-0 against Rybarikova—falls behind in this one, don’t count her out. Vika shouldn’t fall behind, though; she’s mostly looked good in her first three matches.
Winner: Azarenka
After an embarrassment of riches on Wednesday, Indian Wells slows considerably on Thursday: This evening encounter is the only thing approaching a showcase match on the schedule. Both of these men appear to have turned over new leaves in 2016, and begun to realize some of their obvious and so far untapped potential. Raonic, from out of nowhere, has a new net game; Monfils, also from out of nowhere, has a new focus. The combination should make for something good, and competitive, under the lights. Monfils leads their head to head 2-1, but Raonic won their most recent meeting, at the Australian Open in January.
Winner: Raonic