As the second round begins on Day 3 of the WTA Masters in Indian Wells, the seeds come into play as the world’s top players begin the event. Will we see any upsets on Friday? Will the seeds cruise? As always, we here at LWOT share our thoughts on all the day’s matches with you. We split Friday’s matches between four articles, with four matches previewed in this article. Who do you think will advance?
WTA Indian Wells Day 3 Predictions
Anna Kalinskaya vs Taylor Townsend
I smell an upset in this one. Townsend might have had a shaky and controversial start to her career, which derailed her top potential. But she’s still a talented and aggressive player who likes the American hard courts. Kalinskaya’s recent rise has been impressive, but against a hostile crowd in the desert? I’ll take the American.
Prediction: Townsend in 3
Madison Keys vs Hailey Baptiste
It’s a present leader of American tennis vs the future. Keys is a Grand Slam finalist and always has the potential to challenge at the biggest of events. Baptiste is about to crack into the Top 100 and rising rapidly. She might not quite be Coco Gauff, but she’s a future top American in her own right. Still, I don’t think she’s quite ready to dethrone Keys.
Prediction: Keys in 2
Veronika Kudermetova vs Nao Hibino
Hibino is a solid enough player, but Kudermetova is a tremendous all-court talent. The Russian is not quite among the game’s elite, but she’s close. Few women can easily beat her, and few more can challenge her. Hibino might make her work for it, but she’s not in either group, and this won’t be close in the end.
Prediction: Kudermetova in 2
Elena Rybakina vs Nadia Podoroska
Podoroska has potential to be a top player, but Rybakina is already there. The Kazakh hits the ball with brutal efficiency, and other than the rare (though not extremely so) occasions where she beats herself, very few players can oust her. Again, unless Rybakina beats herself, Podoroska won’t be one of them.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
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