2024 WTA Tour – WTA 1000
Indian Wells Masters
Indian Wells Tennis Backyard
Chosen Ro16 Matches – 13 March
Caroline Wozniacki 79/100 vs Angelique Kerber 1/1
This looks like a match for the instances, relating all of the acquainted nostalgic beats that you will see that in Stranger Issues or the brand new Ghostbusters franchise. This battle of former WTA Tour World No.1’s is ripped proper from the Obama administration and makes me suppose one factor: why did Ashleigh Barty retire once more?
However I digress. Dane Caroline Wozniacki has regarded like a girl possessed this week, decided to show her naysayers improper after her disappointing begin to the yr. She electrified the tennis world together with her fourth-round run ultimately yr’s US Open.
However her choice to return out of retirement was beginning to look a bit of ill-judged following a dismal begin to the yr. However she clearly has an affinity for this enviornment and he or she has regarded extra composed within the Californian desert. A winner right here in 2011 and likewise a two-time runner-up, Wozniacki has received three consecutive matches in per week for the primary time since her commendable US Open return.
She beat Zhu and twenty fifth seed Vekic in straight units earlier than a strong three-sets win over the splendidly named Volynets. The defensive baseliner is made for these gradual situations and he or she will likely be feeling assured of reaching a primary quarterfinal right here since 2017.
Fellow counterpuncher Angelique Kerber solely returned to motion originally of the yr following an 18-month being pregnant hiatus. She truly helped Germany elevate the United Cup regardless of solely profitable certainly one of her 5 matches.
She then misplaced back-to-back matches in Melbourne and Linz. So, it was with a certain quantity of trepidation that she got here into this yr’s Indian Wells Masters. I did have the sensation that the German may thrive in these situations.
Certain, most of her success has come on faster surfaces. However she nonetheless strikes brilliantly and is ready to retrieve a lot on these courts. She soundly beat Martic in her opener earlier than orchestrating a superb comeback towards the mercurial Ostapenko.
She then produced a stellar show to take down seventeenth seed Kudermetova. And she or he has a strong document on this occasion, reaching the ultimate in 2019 to go together with back-to-back semi-finals in 2012 and 2013. Actually, victory towards Wozniacki would assist her register her sixth quarter-final end right here.
Verdict: Kerber to win in three units 39/10
That is the most recent chapter in what has been a storied rivalry. Kerber has a slight edge with an 8-7 head-to-head benefit. Having mentioned that, Wozniacki truly leads their hardcourt rivalry 6-5. Actually, the Dane beat Kerber in a traditional on these courts again in 2013.
I actually suppose that is going to be very tight affair. The German has all the time suffered together with her serve and that might give the Dane some alternatives to assault her supply. However Kerber has moved brilliantly to date and he or she might have the sting in side-to-side motion. I in the end suppose that Kerber could pip the Dane.
Coco Gauff | Elise Mertens betting tba
Third-seed Coco Gauff is actually beginning to discover her grove at Indian Wells. She regarded awfully tight in her opener towards the hard-hitting Burel, hitting loads of errors and serving double-faults at no cost as she was pressured to claw her approach again from a close to insurmountable deficit.
She regarded extra assured towards Bronzetti and victory on this encounter will see her match her quarter-final run right here final season. Gauff has loved a stellar begin to the marketing campaign, defending her title in Auckland earlier than a superb semi-final run on the Aussie Open.
And let’s not overlook the completely sensational profitable streak she at the moment has within the States. She has now gone 18 matches unbeaten in America because the begin of final yr’s Citi Open (profitable titles in Washington, Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows). A former French Open finalist, Gauff’s supreme athleticism ought to make her a perfect candidate for fulfillment on these courts.
28-year-old Belgian Elise Mertens has compiled some spectacular outcomes over the past six months or so and he or she received’t be a pushover on these surfaces. The arch-baseliner received the Jasmin Open in direction of the tip of final yr and he or she reached the ultimate of the Hobart Open initially of this one.
She misplaced narrowly to Kostyuk in a tense 2nd spherical tie on the Aussie Open however she did go on to elevate the doubles title enjoying alongside Hsieh Su-wei. And she or he hasn’t dropped a set this week, taking down the resurgent Naomi Osaka in straight units final trip. Mertens hits solidly from the baseline however the backhand wing is actually her strongest.
She’s going to look to flatten out that backhand down the road to reveal any lingering weaknesses on the Gauff forehand wing.
Verdict: Gauff to win in three units
Gauff leads the head-to-head 3-0, getting back from a set down en path to her US Open triumph final yr. I believe this may very well be tighter than individuals suppose. Mertens has been solidly for a while and Gauff actually struggled for rhythm towards Burel. Nonetheless, I believe Gauff’s class will see her over the road and right into a 2nd consecutive Indian Wells quarterfinal.