Four of the WTA Indian Wells Open quarterfinals are set. For the most part, the faces are familiar, but there have been some surprising results so far and the entertaining action should continue on day seven with the draw looking wide open in the Californian desert. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, but who will book their place in the last eight?
WTA Indian Wells Day 7 Predictions
Madison Keys vs Harriet Dart
Head-to-head: Keys 1-0 Dart
Madison Keys is enjoying quite the resurgence in 2022. The American lifted her first title since 2019 earlier this year in Australia and has looked dangerous ever since. She beat Harriet Dart in straight sets earlier this year as well which doesn’t bode well for the Briton. However, Dart is throwing expectations out of the window in Indian Wells and shouldn’t be written off here. Dart has now won five matches at Indian Wells and could well win a sixth if she keeps her level up in this match.
However, Keys is one of the few players on the WTA Tour who can hit literally anyone off the court on her day. If the American is firing, as she has been this week with wins over Misaki Doi and Alison Riske, she is almost impossible to beat and she will surely be boosted by playing in her home country. This may well go three sets if Dart can bring her A-game, but expect Keys to have too much power for her in the end.
Prediction: Keys in 2
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Ludmilla Samsonova vs Petra Martic
Head-to-head: Martic 3-0 Samsonova
Petra Martic enjoys a dominant head-to-head here which should point towards her winning this match. However, Ludmilla Samsonova has been by far the better player over the last 18 months and comes into this match as the deserved favourite. Martic is an elite player when at her best and has the variety to trouble anyone in the women’s game. Crucially, she seems to be rediscovering that form just in time to help her add a fourth win against the big-hitting Russian here. Samsonova has had the better year, but the momentum is with Martic. Expect her to advance here.
Prediction: Martic in 3
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Simona Halep vs Sorana Cirstea
Head-to-head: Halep 1-1 Cirstea
This all-Romanian affair is tough to call. Simona Halep is certainly the better player of the two, the numbers she has posted across her prove that beyond doubt. But Sorana Cirstea is in something of a purple patch and can play top-ten tennis when she is on form. Indian Wells courts are a bit slower which hands Halep an advantage as she is a better mover and counterpuncher while Cirstea relies more on hitting through her opponents. If Cirstea can keep a lid on her errors then this will be tight and she has every chance of winning it. However, that is a tall order against an in-form and hungry Simona Halep and it doesn’t look like Cirstea has it in her. The two-time Grand Slam champion should emerge victorious here.
Prediction: Halep in 2
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Iga Swiatek vs Angelique Kerber
Head-to-head: first meeting
Iga Swiatek’s quest to conquer hard courts and prove she has what it takes to win big tournaments on all surfaces continues here at Indian Wells. After her win in Doha, the Pole is looking to win back-to-back WTA 1000 titles. But she faces a tricky opponent here in Angelique Kerber. The German has shown in recent months that she can still mix it with the best in the WTA. She doesn’t do so on a consistent enough basis to be a threat at big tournaments. However, with a player of her proven quality, that could change at any moment. Still, the slow conditions here give Swiatek a huge advantage. She should be able to generate enough power and angles to hit through Kerber here. If she does, she wins and takes one step closer to another big trophy.
Predictions: Swiatek in 3
