WTA Weekly: Indian Wells Preview | Can Mirra Andreeva retain title? Will Swiatek win a third?

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Well, hello there and welcome to WTA Weekly.

Slightly late but worth it because we're here to talk about Indian Wells.

Let's talk about Indian Wells everybody. The draw has been out for less than 24 hours.

Who better to get hyped for one of the biggest events in tennis than the one on the

Mario Picardi. Mario, how are you doing? Great. This is a great month for tennis lovers.

I feel like especially Indian Wells is really, really loved tournament, more or less all around the

world for spectators not so easy as a time zone for me but I really love it so I am looking forward

to it. Yeah, is Indian Wells an event that you really want to go to one day?

Yeah, same. Yeah, me too. I'm going to be controversial and say I would pick going to Indian

Wells over going to the US Open in terms of first tournament abroad to go to. I think everything

here about the vibe, how fan centric is the location. I think it's the kind of place I would

definitely want to be part of and go to one day. It's a bucket this tournament, maybe a long way out.

But yeah, one of the reasons I'm going to enjoy it, even if, same for me, Mario, the time zone

is not amazing. I can watch half the tennis ball out of five to six feet but then hard decisions

must be right. What shouldn't be a hard decision is digging into the draw. Shall we go there, Mario?

Sure, let's go. Let's go. All right, so we're probably, normally with these kind of things,

we would break down and say what are our first round matches that kind of grab our attention.

However, we have a slight problem in that we don't know what the first round matches because

qualifying isn't finished yet. In fact, the last round of qualifying matches happening as we speak.

So I've had a look at what we've got so far, there's nothing, there's a few decent matches,

few ones of interest, but nothing like really grabbing me. So we're probably going to get deep

previews of your first round matches. We're probably going to be defining this by sections of the draw.

Wait, you could disagree with me, Mario, and say if there was anything from the first round that you

saw just off the top of your head that you thought was particularly interesting. You want to make

sure we highlight or if you want the kind of get to that where we get there in the draw.

No, we can go. I mean, it only depends on pretty sure some of these first round matches will

really deliver, but yeah, I agree. We can go by sections. I'm pretty fine with that.

Fantastic. So let's do this. So with, let's start with the top of this, and let's go to the

world number one, arenas Papalenka, at one of the few hard court events that she has yet to win.

Not many of them left in terms of big hard court titles. Indian Wells probably the biggest,

apart from Canada. I don't think she's one Canada either. And of course, the Middle East.

But I'd say of those Indian Wells is definitely the one that not only has, she's the only

the biggest one she's missed out on, but also the one she's come closest to having been the

finalist here twice. What are your thoughts on Papalenka coming into this Indian Wells event?

Fine, I would say. I mean, she started the year very well. Of course, she's the one number one,

so maybe a little bit disappointed to have lost the Australian Open Final, but if we are looking

at how she started the season, she really proved herself, let's say. She played really well.

She was, we can say, dominant. And I'm pretty sure she's coming

with good confidence overall, even though she lost the Australian Open Final, but I mean, she also has

now the experience to swallow, let's say, to be a bit disappointed, to have missed a major title

for not so much, but at the same time, to swallow move on. She has already done it so many times.

So I'm pretty confident she will do well in my opinion.

Yeah, I'm confident about that as well. I think she's definitely going to be one of the favourites

for this title, certainly probably joint favourite with one other player, which we'll get to.

I'm looking at her draw also and I'm feeling pretty good about her chances, like she's got a

qualifier or Alicia Parks in her first round. Then it would be Jaclyn Christian, Janice Chen, or

Maya joint in her next. I would say I don't see any expected tests. I'm not saying there's no one

there who could catch fire and couldn't catch fire and beat her, but I don't see that as a very

likely scenario. I think we will be looking at a potential last 16 clash with Eva Yovic or Naomi

Salka as being potentially one of the clashes of the tournament, and that's where the real threat comes.

But in my mind, whilst those two players have the talent and the ability and the promising

especially in Yovic's case, given how much she probably would have learned from that counter with

Sava Lankar and the Australian Open, I'm seeing that as a they could catch fire, but there's reasons

from form this year so far that suggests that Sava Lankar would still be the heavy favourite

in that match and would quite likely make the quarterfinals. Do we where are you at with this

potential with this section for Sava Lankar? Yeah, I completely agree. I mean until round four,

I mean a couple matches to where Sava Lankar will be, of course, the heavy favourite.

I think she will be very much the favourite as well in the round four whoever she faces. Of course,

the caliber of these names becomes bigger and there's a chance that especially of course Yovic

and Nozaka can travel here for sure. At the same time, it's still not so easy to not put Sava Lankar

as the heavy favourite. I mean considering how consistent she has been and we know that we are still

not talking for different reasons about players who would start 50-50 in Sava Lankar. It would still be

a little surprise, let's say, to see them winning. But for sure, there's a bigger chance in this round

for match to, you know, deliver something bigger in terms of expectations and maybe also

fight than the previous matches, of course. Yeah, and I think that's the case. Yovic is having a great

season so far. I don't think that maybe she has to take that next big step in her career and

beating Sava Lankar here would be that step but at the moment would probably not be favoured

right now but could very well be favoured in the future and put off something. I think again,

like she showed great determination in that Australian open match and then Asaka, if this was

the US open, I would be a lot more hyped because if you think of US open last year and Asaka

seemed to be waking up and showing something of the Grand Slam women winning self from a few years

ago. Whereas this Asaka, we're not going to meet that right now. You know, she's got to get through

Yovic, she would be dangerous. Eva Leece could be dangerous as well, depending on how frustrating

she finds playing Eva. So with Asaka, she's kind of in that very unpredictable zone of we don't

know what we're going to get, but a very, an Asaka on her game would very much challenge

Arena Sava Lankar. So yeah, I'm looking at this and going, it's two different, the reason why

was the favourite Sava Lankar is the other two have reasons why it's hard to predict them. So,

yeah, I'm with you there. Yeah, I mean, with Asaka, the issue can be that she for sure can

challenge Sava Lankar. I don't know the downs in her ups and downs, you know, what can happen in

those moments? And, you know, Sava Lankar should be able, if we are talking about Yosaka,

we are looking at right now, should be able, you know, to exploit these moments to make

difference. I don't know, that's my biggest fear when it comes to a Sava Lankar Osaka match.

Yeah, exactly. What's Asaka like at the big moments? Was looking at the big moments at points

last few years, but they are in the minority cases. But we'll see, because, you know, they do exist

and they've been quite spectacular when they happen. So, that's the first section, that's the first

eighth. As we're moving on like, you know, we've got Kirit highlighting that, um, Eve Elise and

Katie McNally is a good round one for him. I mean, I agree that has a lot of potential to be,

a lot of fun. And certainly if I was there at Indian Wells, I'd be tempted by watching that. I'd

be also very interested in House Sloan Stevens and Commissioner Sorio Goe and even

Jaclyn Christian and Janice Chen, actually, that would be, that has a lot of potential as a first

round match. Especially since Janice Chen seems to be doing very well at beating the players that

you should be beating, or plays around her, her peers. This section is, um, so yeah, um,

this section is where things are getting very, very interesting here. And we're ready into

really juicy one here, Ario, because we've got, um, Victorian Boko, who made the final in Doha.

And the reason I'm pointing that out is if we look at the pattern over the last three years or so,

making the final of the Australian open or winning one of the 1000s as a warm up, um, is usually seen

as a good opportunity for someone to go on and win the title. And I would include whoever makes

the final in Doha and Dubai as content as well, especially with someone from Boko's talent.

We've got, as well, Amanda Anisemova, who is, um, you know, probably one of the most talented

players, if not the most talented at the chasing pack behind the top four, um, and has a lot

expected of her. And also has to go in my mind of one of the 10 favorites for the title. I said,

if you were to do a power ranking, she would be in that top 10. Um, so, um, we've got these two

players in here in the mix with some other players who are, um, you know, half a good reputation,

out of kind of skies, got a few good wins under her belt recently. And you've got Emma Raducarno,

who is always a talking point and every draw that she's in. Um, and then you've got the likes of

saying up some neds who's been getting some good wins. McCartney Kassler, who gets good wins on the

board as well, and they're playing each other, which is going to be another good one. Um,

but yeah, what is your reaction to this section, Maria?

Yeah, I mean, I don't know if we're looking at the unceded players, I would probably think,

you know, in in the first section we have mentioned, there probably are even more dangerous

players among the unceded ones. Um, even, of course, there is Subalenca there here. It's different.

Um, I don't know, it's tough. I think it will depend a lot on how Kalinskaya and Raducarno

will start this tournament because I see them as two players who can, especially Kalinskaya,

would say right now. Uh, if she builds on some confidence, you know, maybe win, get a good

win in the first patch, and then she can start being a little bit of a threat to maybe cause a

little upset. Raducarno, I don't know, there's a bit of a, you know, question mark, but we know that

she's able to to play great tennis, of course. So, yeah, of course, I don't know who is, you know,

to be placed there as a qualifier complicates things a little bit, but, you know, for sure,

I see this as a section where we have two of the biggest favorites for for the title.

Somebody who I can see even, I don't know, maybe troubling, for example, the likes of Subalenca

going forward, we'll see. At the same time, I want to look at these other seeded players,

if they're able to build some, some confidence, because if they do it, then it can become really

different. I don't know, Kalinskaya is somebody who can play the best 30 minutes ever and give you

tips too, even if you're the one number one. So, you know, I'm pretty sure Boko has to, to look at

her back and Nani Simova, you know, same same thing. I don't know. Right now, I can see that Kalinskaya

the most dangerous player right now behind this two in this section. But Kalinskaya is also another

player who you never know, let's say. I would agree with that assessment. Kalinskaya to me,

most dangerous player, most like to outside of unboko when our Simova come through, like that,

she's that third player in the mix. As you say, she's been catching fire a fair bit recently,

and been doing some good stuff. I think, you know, I think she just have a tough first round,

against either Sunmeh's or Kassler. It's going to be a lot of while she hits the ground running.

Raducarnia has a slightly better opener for her, against Sidal or whoever qualifies.

And then, yeah, that we come along and do, like, how much do you think she could trouble

Anasimova? My answer is if she can trouble Saba Lankas, she can definitely trouble Anasimova,

given what happened a couple of times last year, particularly in Cincinnati.

So there's hope there for the Brits. I guess I'm looking at this going, yeah, this is where

could be interesting seeing who Saba Lankas quarterfinal opponent could be.

And even if we don't get any upsets, an unboko and a Simova showdown would be

really fascinating for me, given how they are two of the most spectacular players to watch right now.

Yeah, definitely. And I was also looking at all the players and I can see

with my dog. I can see, I don't know, even Kalinskaya, for example, traveling, maybe Saba Lankas,

who knows if she manages to upset these players. Of course, Droy's mean to her,

because let's imagine herself facing Boko and then Anasimova, maybe, and then

but I was thinking that any quarterfinal can really be potentially dangerous to,

for example, Saba Lankas, she gets there because all these players have caused troubles before

to her. So yeah, that's why my dog is this thing.

Not a fun. I don't know if you can give this to me.

So, okay, so yeah, very competitive section. Yeah, so we're going to have Kalinskaya as their main

dark horse. If I was the kind of really pushy Mario, who do you see as the one most likely to come

out of this to face Saba Lankas in the quarters? Got it. It's a very, very, very tough question.

I'm going to have to answer it as well. So, you know, probably,

yeah, but I'm I'm underestimating Boko probably because I wanted to say probably a little slower

can help. Pani Simova, a little bit. She can be a little bit less adder prone, maybe in a matchup

against Boko, but I'm underestimating Boko saying this probably, even because

slow-ish conditions, she can do really well as well.

I think she's as well. I think they all do well. I think they're very well. Yeah,

actually, it doesn't really make any difference. Whoever wins would give Saba Lankar a hell of a

match. Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I'm saying Boko. I don't know, she's really on fire.

I'm saying Boko. She really seems like the most reliable right now, even without watching the first

matches. Then Pani Simova can become, you know, maybe the favorite if she's in great form in the

match, but I don't know, right now probably Boko is my answer. Yeah, I'm going to go on Boko as

well. I think she's been one of the players of the year so far. I think she's put in some fantastic

performances. She's proving herself very, very hard to beat. I don't think Anna Simova has been

proving herself very hard to beat so far this year. It wasn't this last half of 2025, but so far

in 2026, not as much, or I think that match definitely going through if we get it. Or, I mean,

and Boko counts Skye is probably going through as well if we get that in the third round.

So, but yeah, I think Boko is the one to fit a bit more comfortable on. I think she's the one

in general, like, you know, any surface, any, any speed she can do and is playing so, so well

right now. And I think, you know, she might be out to get at least a set of sabbelanka where they

to play in there in there. And being the Doha finalist, I think that's kind of a confirmation

of the kind of form she's in. So, yeah, I would, I'm more confident slightly in this pick, but I

will also go and Boko to come out of the section. I'm really liking what I'm seeing from the Canadian

so far this year. And I think it's interesting you talked yourself into it during this.

Yeah, she's really easily top five material right now. So, easily. But yeah, lots of good players who

could come out of the section for sure, but we're going to, we're going to protect, we're going to

say like Boko is the favourite, but there's some really good tennis to be played in this eighth.

So, let's see what the next section has to offer. Whilst we do that, here we go. This is

section, I think, a lot of our viewers are already very interested in for multiple reasons,

some big names here. And, you know, you've got the, I have to say this now. My first initial reaction

on seeing this was this is a horrible draw for Alex Ayala. It is a horrible draw for Alex Ayala,

which is unfortunate given it's the first time she's seeded at a 1000 event,

at a big event. Like, she's probably going to be seeded at Miami as well, depending how things go.

And, you know, fully earned from the 12 months that she's had, 11 months that she's had since

that Miami run last year. But I look at this going, Daniel, she comes to go, or Zhang Shui,

are actually really tough because yes, James can catch fire. Zhang Shui is actually building

some good form right now. She gets to see that. She's against Coco Gough, who seems to be the worst

kind of opponent that she could face right now. Someone who can just defuse everything is good

about Ayala at the moment. So, just to say my initial reaction here, Mario is Alex Ayala,

great that she seeded, not great that she gets this draw for the first time she's seeded at such an

event. Yeah, especially because it's not easy as well to play a tough match when you haven't played

before and your opponent has already won a match. It's not easy considering, you know, how dangerous

the match will be. So, it's tough. I mean, she probably, I would say, Yastremska would be a bit

better because I can see how Ayala, of course, Ayala can win against both, can lose against both

in my opinion. But I don't know, probably Yastremska would be a little bit better in terms of

the way she can travel her. She can make Yastremska hit in some uncomfortable

positions. So, I don't know, probably I would say Yastremska would be a little bit better for her.

But Zang Shwai, I don't know, she's really playing great tennis and she's a player. I respect a lot.

When she's in form in my opinion, she's really, really, really a great player and she has shown

these, you know, multiple times. I don't know, it's really tough section to predict because of

many different reasons. Go off. I mean, she's sure the favorite in this section, but at the same time,

I can see here having some troubles. Probably not in the first couple matches, I don't know,

probably, you know, she has avoided the couple players I would have considered,

you know, giving her the biggest troubles. But at the same time, we have to see, you know,

how Andreas Kublai, who qualifiers she can get. A lot of good names here, Kirstea,

which is playing really, really well this year. Her last one, but it doesn't really feel like it.

And then of course, Noscova is a player. We know that she really can be a big trouble for everybody.

Probably this is not the best possible court for her. I don't know.

It's really tough, Schneider, I don't want to not mention her to overlook her.

I think Coco can survive this section, but there are many players I think every match

can have some little surprise. It's really tough to say, you know, I'm saying off, looking at

a section, but I'm not 100% confident about it, let's say. I'm similar to you, and that I would say

goff is the favourite to come through this section, but she's going to deal with

deal with some potentially tough challenges, like AR is going to have learned a lot.

And Drescu, if that's her first round match, that's going to be an ugly match because they're

both masks are winning ugly and having scraps. I think Coco would kind of outlast and

kind of our athlete, and Drescu, though. I think you've got, as you say, Schneider and

Castella, you mentioned, Buzazzmanero is in there, like she's been a threat to Goff recently,

Noscova. I also watched Jessica Buzazzmanero and I draw because you never know what she's

going to do. She's got the tool to take down some strong players. But, you know, those are players

that Goff would find tricky in a fourth round against, you know, well, against like any one

pretty much from that section, apart from maybe Tatiana Maria. So I would be, but then again,

I think the reason why I'm a little bit more optimistic about Goff is I saw how she wasn't

Dubai and how she locked in, particularly towards the end of the tournament and did not make it

easy for us to lean as a beat her. Yeah. I think you're going to take a lot of confidence from that.

I think it's a sign that Goff going into an upward trajectory, at least for now. And I think she's

going to carry this into Indian Wells. And I think that she has the most solid up trajectory of

anyone in this draw, not just because she's the fourth seed, not just because she's a multiple

grand time champion, and not just because, hey, this tournament should see her. I mean, it's a

slow hard court, which traditionally she doesn't like, but someone who's good on clay, you would think

should be right here. And she's been to the semifinals before. Of course. So yeah, I agree with

the producer. Goff winning Indian Wells at least once is happening, whether it's this year or not,

I don't know. But I am more confident in saying Goff than maybe you sound that you are.

No, I mean, it's not that I'm not, but, you know, there's always like, I just feel a little less

comfortable than, I don't know, for example, Sabaleen can't saying it. That's what I was.

I think the three sections so far, and probably of the majority of sections, we're going to cover

the one where most comfortable with this Sabaleen. And I also think the unceded players here,

you know, everybody is dangerous. That's also why I'm saying this.

Yeah, absolutely good to respect the unceded players, good to respect the lower ranked players.

As I say, the Castellas want to watch. She's doing a lot of winning at the moment.

And I think when you mentioned her, I was like, yeah, yeah, I could see her coming out of this.

And she's definitely favourite against Maria. She could be Schneider. She could definitely beat whoever,

but she got the third round, a bit Nosciver or her. She plays well here, usually.

Yes, at least lately, she has played very well here.

So yeah, this is like, I was Danielle Collins, ask Swong song, except this time, what probably

will be a Swong song for Sarana Castell. So yeah, I agree, I think. So we're

putting, I think we guess we have like wild card picks to come out of each section, right? And

so far our wild card picks have been someone like an Asaka, a Kalanskaya, and I guess in this case,

it's Castellas. So that's a fun addition that may be worth looking at. So all right, well,

let's finish off this half of the draw then. I go through it. I think this is

a, I think we've kind of covered everything we, we need to hear and we'll kind of look at

what we've got in the last section. Yeah, this is the most open section of the draw. And that's no,

I think I don't like being harsh on Jasmine Paulini, but I think it's not, it wouldn't be unfair to say

Mario that she's not had the most ideal start to the season. No, absolutely, I agree. And at the same

time, I don't know, meaning that it's really tough section to predict because even Alexandra

I would say she hasn't started as well as, you know, she has played basically the entire last season,

let's say, she still is probably the favorite to come out of the section, Alex Androva.

At the same time, it's really, really tough.

Thousand as well, I mean, I would say. So, but also we'll see how she looks like. Every

tournament is a big, big question mark around here. It's a massive first try to get to the

saver, though, like, yeah, it is critical for both players, I'd say. And also incredibly physical

one, I would say, which is not ideal for, for but also maybe I don't know. Ruse is a player, I

I always think she can do something crazy. If she's feeling, you know, like doing it,

I don't know, I think, you know, between one and Paulini, I can see anybody reaching round four.

Because all these players, you know, as you mentioned, Paulini has started the year bad, but at the

same time, there's not a player that I'm seeing here and saying, no, she's winning the match for sure.

You know, I think all these one, two, three, four, five and six players, even though I don't know,

the sixth has the chance to to being round four. And then I don't know, maybe thousand at this

point, you know, I'm really big on here. I think she can really play well. So, I don't know,

all these players have had their little troubles. So, I don't know, big chance for one of them to,

let's say, red in their start of the year. Yeah, I mean, once you knew, I'd say out of anyone

on this draw, the best start of the season. I think she's got definitely early on getting at some

really, really good wins. And that's how she's got herself the 30th seed. So, I like her chances a

lot. And I'm with you. Clara Towson is someone that maybe looks a bit solid. She had a good quarter

final run in Dubai. That was a good run for her. And managed to save quite a few points from that.

Still hanging to the top 20. And so, for me, I'm looking at this and I'm going at the section

and going, okay, well, who, who do I go for? And my head is actually saying, one's in you. My gut

is turning me Clara Towson. And I don't know, I think Clara Towson seems to be pretty solid right

now. And she's the safe pick, maybe in some ways. And once you use basically off, I know she's

in form. Towson, I think it's coming into form. I'm going to go Clara Towson. I'm going to go

Clara Towson. I usually listen to my gut more. I listen to my head more. And when I've gone with

my gut, I've ended up with some spectacularly way off-piece results. Sometimes on it.

Sometimes on it, I think I do remember having a gut instinct about Coco Gough winning the USA

put in 2023. The only time I think my gut's been right in particular. So, but that would just

seem to be the vibe that was coming from it. So, yeah. So, a pinch of salt on that. But if Mario's

gut's generally more accurate or at least reliable than I am, it's probably all the great Italian food

that he eats. I don't know. I don't know if it's if it that's right, but I thank you.

I live in Britain, Mario. Everything here is substandard. It's just a ripple of everywhere else.

Yeah. We had a wild card pick who we'd want to pick for a wild card kind of disruptor.

No, I haven't got the question. Sorry. I was thinking already about the next section.

That's fine. So, someone that was like, you know, like a Kalansky or a Castella, like who's that

per in this section? Is that one genu or is that Paolo Podossa or is it Yulea Peter Sava?

No, I think seeing you, I believe in herself more. She's also somebody who has had a lot of

also physical troubles in her career, but I think she really has what it takes to be like where she's

right now. Yeah, I'm trusting her. Cool. All right. Let's do the next section then.

Yeah, I think that's what it was recent. And here we go. This is now we're getting back into

some more kind of favourites, particularly Jessica Pagula, who's coming off winning in Dubai.

Well, obviously we saw Antaraiva do the Dubai double last year with Indian Wells.

Loves playing in the US. I'm really high on Jessica Pagula right now. She seems to be a winning

machine. But there's a lot of potential banana skins here. And your face, Mary, that sort of

expression suggests that you are not that confident about Jessica Pagula or what I'm right now.

I'm confident about her, but sorry, Donna Vechich, I would really like to see Pagula

this opening ground against Balintov. I would really like it. I don't know if Pagula will be

upset, will be even troubled. I'm not sure right now. Probably Pagula right now is too solid. I

don't know, but it would really be interesting because I think we are, there is a little gem here.

And I would like to see this match. And then I mean, there's of course other players,

somewhere else, which are really, really tough to beat. I mean, that's not easy. A tough match up

as well. For Pagula in other instant moments, even though she is in grade four.

You never know which kind of was the bank or you will be getting. Balintov has not even need to

mention it. She did well here as well here in Indian Wells. I think as well, I'm probably

my aim is also better than Indian Wells for Pagula in some days. So I can see herself

being a little bit upset that I had a chord as well, a little bit. Not that she isn't mature enough

to because she's proven it to be a really, really incredibly versatile player. But I don't know,

usually these slow-ish conditions are the conditions where she maybe doesn't play her

very, very best tennis compared to other kind of chords. So I don't know, probably I would say this

can really be a nice section. I mean, really tough one as well. But maybe for Elise Mertens,

I don't know, even though a great potential second round match as well for her, considering form.

Yes, absolutely. You're seeing that up nicely because

yeah, Mertens is dangerous everywhere at the moment because she's so good at getting wins.

But she's dealing with Christina Bucksa, who's coming in off a high of women in Merida and is now

a 500 champion, which Christina Bucksa 500 champion, I didn't put together, but great run from her

and by all accounts, and I had, you know, I was talking to Branagh about this because he's

seen, he saw more of the run and he was very impressed by what he saw in Merida.

Like winning the doubles as well, Bucksa. But, you know, she's coming off a great run and

probably playing the best that she may well have ever played because you also beat Pauline in

that tournament. So, yeah, I think she's going to be coming out for confidence high and the

question is whether she's going to have enough of a break and do enough to back it up really because

that's a big run otherwise, but has a lot of momentum.

Yeah, I agree. I don't know. Usually, my mind works like that. When I'm in the

depth a little bit, usually, my dance is a safety. And she has the ability to beat those players

she's placed close to in my opinion. I mean, I don't know, maybe I'm underestimating Belinda

Banschich as well, which is, of course, you know, kind of a safe pick nowadays, you know, she's

playing well overall. I haven't seen that much since she withdrew injured from Abu Dhabiat,

and of course, lots to Barton Kova in Australia after being, you know,

regardless of one of the probably, I would have put her like eighth or ninth favorite if I'd

done a power run in Australia. And you know, looking potentially dangerous and I think this is her

first proper tournament back. So, I think it's going to depend a lot on which Belinda Banschich we get,

whether we get stuck in firing, but it's been to Banschich or, you know, slightly compromised

or slightly rusty Belinda Banschich. And I think that's going to make a big difference. And

could be a very physical opener, depending whether she plays a qualifier on Magdalena Freck,

especially like even if it's a qualifier, the qualifier is going to be very much informed as well.

So I could see that being a challenge for Belinda early doors, if she's not quite right,

I could see where you can be ready. And then you've got Astropenko who you just never know,

you literally never know with Astropenko. You genuinely cannot predict whether she's going to

crash out in her first match to either Vynets or Strunkiver or win the whole damn thing. So,

yeah, she's the ultimate wild card in the section. I did really like also what you said about

potentially having Vynet overplaying Pagula. Because I agree with you, I'd like to see that

mostly to see where Vynet over is at. Yeah, exactly. Rising through the rankings and Pagula would

be a good test for her to see what she could do against a top player. And Pagula is one of those

players who won't give you an easy time, but doesn't overwhelm you in the same way as some other

top players can. So I think Vynet over could get her teeth into that match. So I'm with you,

I'd want to see it. I'm going to say this. I think if we're going to predict, I see what you're

saying about Mertens. I think she would probably, I think she has the, she's a good candidate for

kind of the Dark Horse. Well, they're not the Dark Horse, like the kind of backup option to come

through, but I'm feeling pretty comfortable about Pagula still. Okay, fine, fine. No, I mean, I'm

thinking that if there has to be a tournament where Pagula doesn't do that well, probably it can

be in young girls. That's my, my feeling. But yeah, if you want to say Mertens, you can say Mertens.

Yeah, I say this. Same Mertens. It's a quarterfinals. Yeah, I said it because I feel it. Yeah,

feels it. We're going with Mario's guts. Mario's guts says Clara Telson. Mario's guts says

of these Mertens. Yeah, I mean, I'm certainly seeing your point of her being the, the kind of the

alternative. I, and actually, I was originally going to say Benchich based on how she started the

year, but actually Mertens is probably the one I'm more confident making it through in

navigating it if Pagula doesn't. So I would, I would have Mertens as my backup.

Yeah, my makeup is obviously big. If I had to, to say a makeup to my option, to the opposite.

It's a great, and the people who are hoping to go a bit more back and forth are relieved

that we do not, in fact, share a same brain. So, so there we go. Right, new section, here we go. Okay,

here, here's an interesting one because the third, oh gosh, there's a few names in here that we

have to talk about. So, I know you're a backerness of the name that we're immediately drawn to

because she's one of the form players of the year. Really, yeah, really good form right now.

It's tough to beat. I think she obviously, we're tying from Dubai. I don't know what was going on

there. Do you might have been injured? It might have been a rage quit. I'm not sure.

But she's got, there's some interesting stories in this section around her that I think we are worth

talking about, not necessarily as predictions, but as things to keep an eye on in terms of storyline

story. Yeah, because I would say she is the heavy, heavy, heavy favorite in this section.

In my opinion, there are fewer really dangerous names compared to other sections we have seen.

Of course, there is, you know, somebody like Madison Keys can always play great tennis.

I wouldn't be shocked if she does it somehow in this, you know, in this tournament, but I'm not

pretty sure. It's not really easy. Cost you because another player who can do very well for sure.

I don't know, not the best, best, best possible start of the year, I would say.

Navarro, of course, not that good.

There's a lot of people. Can be. There's Venus Williams, the big, the top one favorite of this

tournament. In terms of pedigree, yes. But no, I mean, it's difficult to predict this can be a

storyline. Of course, you know, playing is always a storyline. We'll see who she plays. I mean,

the matches she plays, she hasn't been too bad. So with it, it's for sure a storyline.

And yeah, another storyline, I would say, is all these players outside Rybakina who can make

her way through the draw and, let's say, redeem a start of the season, which hasn't been ideal.

Difficult not to see Rybakina, in my opinion, going forward.

Do you think, just mentioning Venus Williams again, how 50-50 is it that she wins this match?

Because a qualifier should be a winner or match. But, you know, she could have won against Tom Yanovich,

could have taken control, kind of took an early lead and then got overtaken.

I would imagine a qualifier is going to be similar level to Tom Yanovich at the moment.

How 50-50 are we? How can I say 50-50 are we that Venus Williams wins this match?

No idea without knowing, in my opinion, who the qualifier is, because I can see, you know,

you know, I'm...

And we have no idea why the qualifier has to be because there's too many of them.

Yeah, that's the idea. I don't know if we get somebody like, I don't know,

1,000 that I'm not... I don't think it's really 50-50, for example.

You know, I'm saying the name, which are, you know, watching right now and thinking,

no, it's not 50-50 in this case. I don't know, there are players who I wouldn't say 50-50.

There are others who I would say, yes, it's possible. So I cannot answer this, in my opinion.

Well, if you're wanting to see Venus Williams continue to win match on the WTA tour,

we're going to hope she gets a good match-up, let's you get a good qualifier.

I think your overall assessment of the whole section, Rebacking is the clear favourite.

Excuse me, it's easily clear favourite. I think, and that's by virtue of

of keys and caustic are both coming off injury. Yeah, exactly. Australia, at all, like, they're going

to have honestly rusty, they're going to be kind of going again, and I'm not saying it's not

possible for a player to come straight back off injury and win, but I think it does take a while

to get going, and I could see keys making it to the third round, maybe even the fourth round,

and getting warmed up in the process, but she needs to catch fire, as our producers said.

caustic could be a threat if she plays like she did in Brisbane,

but then she got injured in the first round of Australia. We don't know what version of caustic

we're going to get. So yeah, I would say keys would be my backup pick from this section, but

really, yeah, it's all about Rebacking, because I still would favour Rebacking her in that match-up.

Yeah, same, I would say keys as well, also looking at the draw, the possible clashes. So yeah,

right now keys is my option. We'll see, we'll see, the qualifiers here can have a shot.

So we'll see who gets plays there, because it's an interesting place for me to be put in.

I mean, I'm actually looking at this going, sorry, I can't tell, could defend her last 16 points.

Why not? I mean, her draw is not impossible, so it's possible, yeah, who knows? I would say,

you know, she has a shot for sure. She has a shot for sure, yeah, and they're just British,

they'd be being British here either, like it's just, you know, she likes it anywhere,

as the data seems to reflect it. All right, I think we were being asked to move on, so let's see if

we can move on. And that's go to the next section, which is two more, like we could have an

interesting clash, we've got the defending champion, Miller and Draver, and Alina Sviterlina,

who got the Dubai final and the Australian Open semi final in Red Hot Form. Yeah, Paten Sterns,

who's won in Austin, which was a fantastic warm-up event, won a pretty match with Taylor Townsend

in that final. And I'd say those are the ones that I kind of attracted my attention,

plus Leyla Fernandez, who has the game to do well here, like I would say, you never know with

Fernandez. There's a clear sort of, you've got your top two favorites, and then you've got a few

in the mix here that could, you could see doing something and kind of ripping up the form book.

Yeah, you know, everybody is, you know, probably looking forward to this potential round four match,

we can have between Andreves Sviterlina, the defending champion, and also WTH champion this year,

Andreves won a title, so even though we are expecting, you know, more and more from hair, but I mean,

she's already got something in her cabinet, let's say, Sviterlina, of course,

huge, huge player in huge form right now. So, you know, between the two, I would be

the most comfortable about Sviterlina, considering the players who are in both draws, you know,

considering how consistent she has been, I would be really surprised not to see her

reaching round four. And Andreves is a little more difficult in my opinion, you know, there are

these players who can, I can see struggling here, you know, Sturs is not that easy as an opening

round, also with this little pressure of being the defending champion, having not done it in

Dubai already. So, yeah, you mentioned Fernandes, sure Fernandes is always a player who can do something

good here and there, and there are other players actually, Sinyakova is a player that doesn't matter

the form, doesn't matter anything, you know, she has what it takes to play good tennis, and this

is not something to overlook. So, I don't know, Sviterlina a little bit easier between the two,

at least on paper than we never know, it's still a huge tournament.

Interesting, we've not mentioned the other seed in the mix here, which is Sam Sonneva,

and I think it's because Sam Sonneva, you don't really know what you're getting at the moment.

Yeah, it's a bit tough, I don't know. Right now, I would see, I don't know, Sviterlina, for

example, if they face each other, and I'm not even sure about it, but if they face each other,

I can see Sviterlina being too much right now. At the same time, we know Sam Sonneva's peak is really

high, for sure. I think this tournament is really, really good though for Andreiva, that's my

ultimate peak for this section. Are you picking Andreiva? Yeah. Interesting, I, I thought after all

this fight, what I said. Yeah. Despite what you said, yeah, because I was going to say,

because like, when you mentioned Sviterlina's draw, and I was like, oh yeah, now she's got an

easier round to the fourth round, potentially than Andreiva does, because I mean, first of all,

Salona Sierra fans are probably up in arms that you didn't give their girl a chance to get

to Peyton Sterns in that opening round. Immediately, you know, I, and like then third round, you know,

Siniac of the Kennen or Fernandez would be tough Andreiva, or could be straightforward.

It depends on which one of them shows up. And that's the thing. So Andreiva has the one who's the

more dangerous in potential in terms of opponents. Her opponents have more potential to upset her.

But I think if we were to get there, I am agreeing with you that I think Andreiva has something

at this tournament. I think she's building something again and kind of getting herself together.

And I think in a show, I think Sviterlina has been playing really, really well.

But it would be interesting to see what happens if she gets into a scrap or another scrap with

another, a sim, with a, like she didn't do buy against golf. I'm not sure she wouldn't that one

this time round. I mean, she does fair playtek, because then she's, she's really gritting this out.

It would be such a close. And I, such close one, I think for Sviterlina is the narrow second choice.

But I'm going with Andreiva a little bit on my gut, a little bit on. I think I like her trajectory

to kind of upset some of the storylines a little bit, maybe not upset, but kind of change and

perceptions about she's not having such a good season, or hasn't been as much on a spot like

this season as Sviterlina. And I think she will relish the opportunity to wrestle a spotlight

onto her. That's what I think is likely to happen in this case. So I'm with you, but let's see.

So yeah, that seems to be it. That's going to be fun. And this is going to be fun as well, probably.

This is going to be, well, yeah, this is going to be interesting. I mean, I looked at this,

and I'm not usually one of those people who look at it and go, oh, Yigashvion, that's a terrible draw.

And she does it in her opening round. She should win her opening round relatively comfortably.

But I can't believe she could potentially have a rematch with Maria Sakari, who, yeah, I mean,

I'm going to put this on paper now. I think Svion take Svion take Svion take Mr. Fee opportunities

to take control of the match. I'm interested to see how she goes for round two. And whether,

because Svion take is a very good vengeance player, but I can't get into a bit of a rot against

set player sometimes. And Sakari could be that depending on how she would do against Krasheva or

Taga. I would put her favorite in that. She's immediately going to have to prove herself from

round three onwards, Yigashvion take. Even before we even start talking about potential fourth round

opponents. Yeah, I mean, it's as well. It's also tournament where you guys, lots of good memories.

I mean, do as well. But I don't know. I think it's tougher here to see Sakari beating Yigah again.

I'm struggling to believe it. I think, you know, it's a place. It's a tournament. You know,

the Middle East tournament are very tricky as well. Even though Yigashvion played well,

especially in Doha in the past, but it's, you know, to me, it's really, really tricky, tricky,

swing because, you know, right after the Australian Open at times, it's not easy to forget what

happened in Australia. If you're haven't done so well or the opposite, if you've done well,

it's not easy to recover in time. She hasn't played there in Dubai. I think she can do, she can

do well here, actually. So I'm expecting, you know, to see her in round four.

There, it's a good storyline in this draw. You know, there's Mukovav finally winning a big title

in Dubai. So it's like, oh, sorry, you're right.

So finally winning a big title and being, you know, it looks like in form. And finally,

good, also physically, from a physical point of view. So, you know, she's for sure really,

really dangerous and as well the favorite to get to round four. Kinwen is somebody, you know,

is a storyline because she's coming back. And to me, she has looked decent, you know, considering

that she was out for a while. And so I think she can, she can do quite well here in Indian

Wells. So, you know, to me, it's tricky for Mukovav that she got this, this seeded player around here.

And I'm giving Ega the edge in this, in this section. I think in Indian Wells, it's a great,

great tournament for her. And even though she is not playing that well right now, she has what

it takes to control this section. Can Mukovav, for example, beat her? Yes. But I think this is

a tournament where it's very, very difficult to upset her. Yeah. I would agree with that because

the damn driver beat her in three. I think she beat her in three in the semi's last year.

Yeah. Yes. And I think it was Rebecca who beat her in 23. Yes. And I think it was at the point

look it before 2022 for Ega really. I can't remember how she didn't like 2021. I think that was when

she was kind of dipping off in that season at that point. Yeah, you're right. This is a tournament

that Ega likes. There's just not that much confidence in her at the moment. Yeah. She's not this

bulletproof player right now. And I think she does have a tough draw. I could see her losing to

Zachary. I could, again, I could see her losing to Mukovav or Injin Wen. And follow the reason

she said, like Mukovav is in form. She won Doha. That makes her one of the title favorites in my

opinion. Like she would be in a top 10 power ranking for me. Hands down. So and like I

I need to see how she would back up or run like this because I think but then Mukovav is

a really up and down player and you know she doesn't necessarily do consecutive good runs at tournaments.

Other than maybe in the US kind of hardcore summer summer swing. I really liked how

Jun Chen went looked into by. I thought she came out really, really strong and very much herself

when I was like, okay, no, it was, it was Doha. Yeah. Yeah, it's Doha. I've done the same thing as you

stuff having a Doha. And it's like Doha is very similar courts to Indian Wells. Yeah. So it's

almost like mini Doha here. I, I'm looking at this and like, honestly, my backup choice, my

sneaky choice would be Jun Chen Wen to come through. I think she could be Mukovav. I think she could,

if she was really like it. She's fiancee tech. But there's also probably goes, yeah, like

fiancee tech. There's also this bit of me that goes, oh, genuinely, this is where she wakes up.

This is where she wakes up because at the moment she's going to assume she wants trouble,

she loses. If she comes through trouble, this is where she wakes up and I would be very up for that

storyline. So I almost went for Zhang. I think you heard me very nearly say it, but no,

I'm going to agree with you and go to fiancee tech and play a little bit safer. But also,

I see this, I see this potential for something special to prove if that happens.

Yeah, I, you know, I kind of agree. I'm not really sure between Mukovan and King Wen, but yeah,

I agree. King Wen felt, I don't want to say like she'd never left. But, you know, very, very close

to that, in my opinion. You know, it's a section full of players who started the season well.

We can say Sakari started well. Mukovav, of course, King Wen for what she did, she started well,

let's say. There are other interesting players to watch. In my opinion, I'm curious to see

this roots each against Brady match. That's another interesting player, Lily Tagger,

to watch in my opinion. So I think this can be a fun section, but the seeded players, yeah,

look really strong and stuff to imagine, you know, one outside this fort to reach, of course,

a quarter final. And my pick is Fiontik as well, because of she, she is a tournament where she

always does well. And I believe even without the best confidence she can play good enough to win

these matches. Yeah. And that would do well for creasing her confidence later on. I agree with

you, Lily Tagger is one to watch, if for the sake of just watching her as a potential, as a talent,

and she's been much talked about. And if a Brady's come back like long awaited, obviously,

when I'm the first one to qualify in Austin, I think the roots that she might be a bit too tough

had come back, but I think she'll get a lot of crowd support. I think a lot of people rooting,

just wanting to watch to see how she is and what version of Jennifer Brady we get after.

It's been two years, it's been five years since she made that grand sample in London.

It's just been a disaster since. Great podcaster, but would love to see her back on court.

So yeah, we've been boring and picked seven of the eights.

Not four to six. I think six. Oh,

I went with a thousand and, um, who was it?

Madison. Yeah, we both went for Towson.

Okay. Yeah, true. I mean, we could have been six if I'd got with, like,

my initial pick of Go for Jenga, not last section, but I'm going to go with Fjantek and Reflection.

So our picks for court finals, which, you know, we can see this handy guide of where it's going

to be. So obviously top half of the draw, Sabahlenka's half is going to be playing on Wednesday,

Thursday's going to be the Fjantek half and we'll be alternating. So we're going to get the

quarterfiles on a week on Thursday. And a week on Thursday, we think the quarterfinals are

most likely going to be Sabahlenka versus Mertens. So Sabahlenka versus Unboko got versus Towson,

Rebacking against either Cagula or Mertens and Draver against Fjantek.

So what happens next? Yeah. So yeah, I mean, that's, I guess, this is where we really kind of,

going out on a limb a little bit. So, okay, do you want to make any predictions from that Mario?

Yeah. Go for it. My idea is that we're going to see Unboko, Rebacking or Rematch.

In the final. Yeah. Okay. No, it's impossible. Rebacking is up or down. No, it's down.

It's the second half. They get a Boko Rebacking will be the final. So yeah, I'm probably going with

Rebacking a beating Fjantek in semi-final. Down and up, we have said, um,

Sabahlenka gets in Boko playing the win of got versus Towson. So you've got Unboko in one of

the semi-finals. Who's she playing? Goth. Goth. Okay. Yeah, I mean,

I mean, that's tough to say no to really. Um, I, I'm agreeing with you on Goth and Rebacking

and Sjantek. Yeah. The Sabahlenka and Boko one is the one I'm like, I, I,

literally flipping either way on that one. Same, but I had to say something. So I think it can be

this time. Okay. Well, we'll tell about yours whilst I'm deciding. Do you still think it's a,

so do you think Unboko beats Goth and Rebacking the beats Fjantek? Or do you think it's going to be

something slightly different? No, that's what I said. Rebacking, okay,

Unboko versus Rebacking are in the final. Yeah. That would be an epic, I think.

I think Rebacking is winning this tournament. I'm so, but yeah, in my opinion, this can really be

here every year. And I think Indian Wells can prove it once again. Okay. So I came, it's interesting,

coming into this show, I was going to predict a Sabahlenka Rebacking the final.

And then a reverse of 2023 again with Sabahlenka finally winning Indian Wells.

Out of all.

Finally winning Indian Wells. Which, you know, would be in that scenario, be Sabahlenka,

beating Goth in the semis, and then beating Rebacking, as I said in the final. However,

I am going to, I'm going to go for a slightly different narrative here.

Because that's that's narrative number one. That's the one I thought going into the show.

I'm actually going to change my mind. I'm going to go with something a little bit crazy,

just for fun. Let's go. Okay. I think we're going to get a Sabahlenka Sfiantec final.

Great. And from that same semifinals, I think Sfiantec's going to,

if Sfiantec finds something, she beats Rebacking her, who might be running out of gas.

Yeah. And then Sfiantec, it's her turn to win against Sabahlenka.

It's a slow hard court. This is where she's going to do it. It's on the hard court.

I think Sfiantec. I've gone from thinking Sfiantec might go out before the quarterfinals

and losing to Maria Sakari in round three. It's literally like, for me, it's like,

it's going to be one of two stories. She had to lose to Sakari again in round three.

Or she wins the tournament. And there's not another twin. And it's possible.

Well, no, it's possible, for sure.

But yeah, I think that's the thing. That's half of my thought. It's like, there's a lot,

that's the beauty of the WTA. There's a lot of very plausible storylines that come out of this.

We've just named a few. Really. Coco Gough could be on the rise and peak and get the title.

That's another option. Victoria and Boko charges to another big title.

But yeah, I'm going to stick to my guns and go with Igor Sfiantec.

And that is probably a good prediction to finish off with, right, Maria?

Yeah, I agree. All right. Let's see, let's see, in what, 10, 11 days, not 12 days.

Yeah, sure. I mean, let's face it, I've got a bunch to choose from, I think, a plausible,

I'm going with that one, because I fancy dreaming. Yeah, there was a special guest.

I think for a storyline and something to check out the season a little bit more.

So, Mario, thank you so much for coming on. Do you have any final

whilst drawing anything else you're looking forward to?

Everything, I would say, because going section by section just incredibly hyped me up

to watch this tournament. I wasn't really thinking about it before doing the show,

but right now I'm super, super, super hyped up. Let's do this. All right,

Mario, thank you so much for coming. Thank you.

And thank you all for watching. Hope you enjoyed. Hope you haven't enraged you too much.

Drop your predictions in the comments either on the audio from this, on your podcast feeds

or on the YouTube replay. And yeah, we will be having plenty of live coverage of Indian

Wells coming up, where we can enjoy it together. We'll be doing lots of watchfuls.

And show and enjoy whatever storyline to be get, be it the established one of the back

in a winning or the crazy one of Laura Seagamond potentially winning. So,

thanks everyone for watching. We'll be back for WTW Weekly after Indian Wells has done to

wrap up all the storylines. And we find out what narrative has prevailed. I'll see you then

in the meantime. Take care and keep talking tennis.

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