ATP/WTA Masters 1000 Indian Wells

[Drummond]

The “5th Slam”. Genuinely does feel like the next best thing to a slam. The location, the 96 player draw, the crowds. It’s got it all. Draws haven’t come out yet but women’s qualifying got underway today and the men’s qualifying starts overnight. Storm Sanders and Olivia Gadecki go against the 1st and 5th seeds respectively. Hijikata is the second seed and plays Lucas Pouille.

Draws should be released tomorrow, and R1 action starts Wednesday. Will be fascinating to see the return of Djokovic to IW. Alcaraz and Rybakina are the defending champions.

 

[Drummond]

Mens draw:

 

[Drummond]

Women’s draw:

 

[FreoRicci]

Some winnable R1 draws for Aussies at Indian Wells:

VUKIC v Q
PURCELL v Monfils
KOKKINAKIS v Giron
O'CONNELL v Draper
THOMPSON v Q
DE MINAUR - bye
POPYRIN v Marozsan

Hijikata is still alive in qualifying.

And the R1 match that will draw the most attention:

Raonic v Nadal

Very winnable.
De Minaur also has a potential R3 match up with Bublik as one of the seeds, then possible Zverev. Favourable draw.

Thompson gets the Qualifier with Bublik in second round as well.

 

[matt_897]

Hmmm, don't see Max winning that over Gael. Kokk seems to be in worse form than usual. O'Connell has a tough one against Draper. And Vukic has been average too.

Good to see Thompson getting a decent draw given he was so close to a seed.

 

[FreoRicci]

Hmmm, don't see Max winning that over Gael. Kokk seems to be in worse form than usual. O'Connell has a tough one against Draper. And Vukic has been average too.

Good to see Thompson getting a decent draw given he was so close to a seed.

Purcell has been okay without winning. Still a chance v Gael.

Would love some Aussies wins in the first round. Get ranking points. Popyrin especially.

Hijikata just loss to Pouille, that pushes him out of the draw.

 

[BobbyMorri]

IW is great.

I am not a huge fan of 10-day tournaments, but IW needs it.

 

[Drummond]

IW is great.

I am not a huge fan of 10-day tournaments, but IW needs it.

I hate the 2 week masters but I agree, IW does need it. Keen for the main draw action tomorrow. They really support the tournament so well, the crowds for qualifying were outstanding.

 

[JamisonRun40]

I really miss not being able to watch tennis through bein. Just can't afford it at the moment.

 

[Drummond]

Wow, some good results for the Aussies.

O’Connell beats Draper in 3, and Kokkinakis beats Giron in straight sets.

On the women’s side, fresh off her 500 title win, Katie Boulter lasts 78 minutes before she is bundled out of the tournament to Giorgi. Tough draw, but given the form of both, wouldn’t have predicted this.

 

[matt_897]

Yeah, maybe the fluffed up balls helping Kokkinakis as he looked pretty solid this morning. He has Sinner next and O'Connell has Zverev so....

Daria in absolute battle this morning, 5-5 in the 3rd with Pera.

Popryin pulled out with an injury.

Nice win for Andy Murray over Goffin in the battle of top players of 2013.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Andreeva that really is an embarrassing loss, and she served for both sets and the first set it was twice. Complete choke job. She will learn though

 

[Hamingja]

I really miss not being able to watch tennis through bein. Just can't afford it at the moment.

It looks like it is on Amazon Prime now for $10p/m. I cancelled Kayo when they cancelled Bein. This year I have tennis tv but I think Amazon Prime will be the go next year to get both tours.

 

[Hamingja]

On the women’s side, fresh off her 500 title win, Katie Boulter lasts 78 minutes before she is bundled out of the tournament to Giorgi. Tough draw, but given the form of both, wouldn’t have predicted this.

I backed Giorgi. Standard for someone like Boulter winning a title and then flopping the next week. Giorgi lost to Ostapenko in Brisbane, Azarenka at AO, then Tauson at Linz and she is a good player indoors. Form line reads 3 Ls but not terrible form given the opposition.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Another tournament.

Another Rafa withdrawal.

 

[Drummond]

Another tournament.

Another Rafa withdrawal.

Yet can have an exo against Alcaraz. Either don’t bother with the exo, or don’t bother rocking up to IW at all.

 

[matt_897]

Yet can have an exo against Alcaraz. Either don’t bother with the exo, or don’t bother rocking up to IW at all.

In principle I would agree but everything is about being right for the French. If there is a 0.0001% chance that he can do damage to that chance by playing IW then yeah I can't blame him. So probably should of entered anyways.

 

[FreoRicci]

Great start for the Aussies.
O’Connell winning just keeps me smiling. Talk about someone squeezing every drop out of his career.
He has played well v Zverev before.

Keen for Thompson v Shang.

 

[Munich]

I'm loving the vision of people mopping up the court on BeIN while the rain is still quite obviously coming down.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yet can have an exo against Alcaraz. Either don’t bother with the exo, or don’t bother rocking up to IW at all.

So can Badosa who withdrew too

 

[Munich]

Rafa withdraws. I'm shocked.

Wasn't his injury a 3-monther from Brissy? No idea why he even bothered heading to the US.

 

[yabsy]

So IW, Miami, Madrid, Rome & Shanghai are now all 12 day events...Then Canada & Cincinnati will get extended next year as well...Did I get that right?

On Redmi Note 8 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[JamisonRun40]

I really don' think Madrid, Rome and Shanghai need to be that long, there are always days when the matches are boring.

 

[matt_897]

Purcell losing 1 and 2 to a 37 year old Monfils. Hmmm.

 

[Drummond]

Purcell losing 1 and 2 to a 37 year old Monfils. Hmmm.

Yeah that’s actually shocking.

Mensik with a comfortable win, excellent to see. And I don’t understand Ruusuvuori, the most inconsistent guy on tour. You just never know what he’s doing to dish up.