After two days off from both tours, Indian Wells will kick off with the unseeded players on Wednesday. There are still plenty of exciting players despite the lack of seeds on Day 1 of WTA Indian Wells, such as Linda Noskova, Linda Fruhvirtova, or Alycia Parks. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. Who do you think will win?
WTA Indian Wells Day 1 Predictions
Alize Cornet vs Evgeniya Rodina
Head-to-head: first meeting
33-year-old Cornet has had a very poor start to the season, 1-5 on the year and failing to defend her Australian Open run, which is why she has dropped to No. 68 in the rankings. Cornet started her year with a win over Maria Carle at the United Cup but has lost five straight since, including losses to Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Maria Osorio. Rodina is only playing her fifth tournament back after her US Open comeback last year. The Russian only has one match under her belt in 2023, a 2-6 3-6 loss to Katie Volynets at the Australian Open. Despite her terrible form, Cornet has at least had regular match practice while Rodina seems to be going part-time at the moment.
Prediction: Cornet in 2
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Dayana Yastremska vs Anna Bondar
Head-to-head: Yastremska 1-0 Bondar
After dropping Lyon final points, Yastremska finds herself on the edge of the Top 150. The Ukrainian is 7-7 on the season though most of her wins have come in qualifying, so they have not translated into points. Bondar has also struggled for wins, 3-6 in 2023 and on a three-match losing streak, including a loss to Kimberly Birrell in Merida. Yastremska is far from her best at the moment but I believe she will dispatch Bondar, despite the slower hard courts potentially playing into the Hungarian’s hands.
Prediction: Yastremska in 3
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Anna Blinkova vs Ann Li
Head-to-head: Blinkova 1-0 Li
Rematch of a first-round clash from Austin last week won by that was won by Blinkova. The Russian broke a four-match losing streak with that win but went on to lose to eventual finalist Varvara Gracheva in the next round. Li, down to No. 177 but a former member of the Top 50, was limited by shoulder issues last year. The 22-year-old has not been able to get regular deep runs together on the ITF circuit to start the year though. Li, a wild card recipient in Indian Wells, will push hard to make the most of her opportunity here but I believe Blinkova will come out the winner.
Prediction: Blinkova in 3
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Alycia Parks vs Anna Kalinskaya
Head-to-head: first meeting
Lyon champion Alycia Parks burst onto the scene with that title, and especially her performance in an impressive win over Caroline Garcia. The 22-year-old has struggled to replicate her results outdoors though, as evidenced by her most recent loss to Mirjam Bjorklund in Austin, and the slow courts of Indian Wells will not help her. It’s been a mixed year for Kalinskaya, putting in some great performances such as her losses to Danielle Collins in Melbourne and Austin or her win over Jelena Ostapenko in Adelaide, while also suffering losses to Su Jeong Jang and Bernarda Pera in Dubai and Doha. Kalinskaya has found a lot of success in Indian Wells though, reaching the fourth round as a qualifier in 2021 and the third round as a lucky loser last year. The Russian may not be in her best form at the moment but the conditions here clearly suit her, making her a favorite.
Prediction: Kalinskaya in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
