WTA Indian Wells has gotten off to an entertaining start and that should contunue with a number of star names in action on day four. As always, we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Coco Gauff vs Moyuka Uchijima and Amanda Anisimova vs Belinda Bencic. But who will advance in ‘tennis paradise’?
WTA Indian Wells Day 4 Predictions
Elise Mertens vs Kimberly Birrell
Head-to-head: Birrell 1-0 Mertens
Kimberly Birrell played very well against Viktorija Golubic in the opening round. She controlled most of the rallies in that match and will probably be the aggressor in this matchup as well. That said, the experienced Elise Mertens’ defense is better than Golubic’s, and getting the ball past her in the relatively slow conditions in Indian Wells will not be easy. However, Birrell still has a great chance of reaching the next round if she strikes the ball as cleanly as she has in many of her matches this season.
Prediction: Birrell in 3
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Diana Shnaider vs Alycia Parks
Head-to-head: Shnaider 1-1 Parks
Alycia Parks defeated Diana Shnaider at the Qatar Open last month. The courts in Indian Wells are slightly slower than those in Doha, but the difference is not too significant though the wind may also be more of a factor. Although Shnaider’s game is the more complete of the two, she struggled to adapt to Parks’ relentless aggression in their last meeting. The young star usually defends better than she did in that match and should be better prepared to try to blunt Parks’ attacking game this time.
Prediction: Shnaider in 2
Maria Sakkari vs Viktoriya Tomova
Head-to-head: Sakkari 4-1 Tomova
It has been a challenging couple of years for Maria Sakkari with the Greek seemingly having lost her way. But, on paper, this is an ideal opening match for her. The Greek has won four consecutive matches against Viktoriya Tomova without dropping a set. The sole loss she has suffered against the Bulgarian came back in 2016 when she was still finding her feet as a professional. Tomova did play well against Olga Danilovic in the last round, but it would be a real surprise if she were able to beat Sakkari here.
Prediction: Sakkari in 2
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Aryna Sabalenka vs McCartney Kessler
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is among the most difficult opening round matches Aryna Sabalenka could have received. McCartney Kessler reached the final of last week’s ATX Open in Austin, her third WTA final since August, and thrashed Anna Blinkova in the opening round in Indian Wells. Sabalenka, who struggled for form during last month’s Middle Eastern swing, probably cannot afford to be too rusty in this match. Kessler sometimes struggles when consistently rushed, something Sabalenka does better than anyone at her best, but expect this to be a competitive match.
Prediction: Sabalenka in 3
Main photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
