The seeds continue to take centre stage at the WTA BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Madison Keys will play her first match as a Grand Slam champion after recovering from a hamstring injury. She is among a handful of Americans taking to the court on Saturday along with Emma Navarro and Sofia Kenin. Who will advance to the next round in Indian Wells?
WTA Indian Wells Day 4 Predictions
Leylah Fernandez vs Jaqueline Cristian
Head-to-head: first meeting
Leylah Fernandez has performed a lot better than Jaqueline Cristian this season. But in her last two matches, her timing looked completely off. She took only three games against Amanda Anisimova in Doha and managed four against Mertens in Dubai. But on paper, those were already tough matchups for the Canadian. Cristian doesn’t overwhelm opponents with power but punishes them even with the smallest of mistakes. Fernandez needs to be dialed in from the outset.
Prediction: Fernandez in 3
Daria Kasatkina vs Sofia Kenin
Head-to-head: Kenin 3-2 Kasatkina
Sofia Kenin made a very bold assessment of her recent surge in the rankings. She believes she is not far off from the player that won the 2020 Australian Open and rose to a career-high of No. 4. She is playing exceptionally well and her comprehensive win over Maddison Inglis was her sixth in eight matches. Daria Kasatkina doesn’t quite have the same numbers to match since the Australian Open. Half of her six defeats have come against lower-ranked players. That fluctuating form may determine Kasatkina’s fate. Kenin looks primed to secure another solid win.
Prediction: Kenin in 3
Emma Navarro vs Sorana Cirstea
Head-to-head: Cirstea 1-0 Navarro
It was in Indian Wells a year ago when Emma Navarro made her first deep run in a big tournament (reached the semifinals). She returns to the desert with improved consistency and her self-belief has grown immeasurably in the past year. She’ll be a threat to any of the top players. Before she thinks too far ahead, she does have a score to settle against Sorana Cirstea. The Romanian edged out their lone meeting last month in Dubai. It was a match that was decided by very subtle moments. This one could be on a knife-edge again, but expect the in-form 10th seed to get her revenge.
Prediction: Navarro in 2
Madison Keys vs Anastasia Potapova
Head-to-head: Keys 1-1 Potapova
It’s been over a month since Madison Keys’ last match. But what a moment it was for the American. She won her first Grand Slam just before her 30th birthday beating the top two players in the world to lift the title. The task is how quickly she can shift into tournament mode after a month-long injury layoff. Anastasia Potapova has previously beaten Keys but current conditions in Indian Wells (strong winds and new surface) call for exemplary shot selection–something she regularly struggles with. The stakes are higher for Keys, but with a Grand Slam-wining mindset, she’ll be dangerous this fortnight.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
