The highly anticipated Round of 32 at the Indian Wells Open is set to commence on Sunday evening, promising thrilling matchups with an array of tennis stars, including Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, scheduled to compete.
Denis Shapovalov vs Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner is widely considered a dominant favorite in his Round of 32 clash against Denis Shapovalov. Sinner demonstrated impressive form in his opening match, dropping only two games to Dalibor Svrčina. In contrast, Shapovalov’s path to this stage was more arduous, requiring six sets across two matches to overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas and Tomás Martín Etcheverry.
Their head-to-head history includes a victory for Shapovalov at the 2021 Australian Open, followed by Sinner’s comeback win from a set down at a recent US Open. While Shapovalov has shown strong performances in his last two outings, Sinner’s current form suggests he presents a significantly tougher challenge.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Arthur Rinderknech
Carlos Alcaraz enters his encounter against Arthur Rinderknech with an unblemished record against him, having not dropped a set in their previous three meetings. Alcaraz boasts an impressive 13-0 record for the current season, following a straightforward victory over Grigor Dimitrov.
Rinderknech, whose progression to the Round of 32 included a first-round bye and a walkover, holds a 5-5 record this season. His most notable achievement this year is a win over Jack Draper. However, he was recently defeated comfortably by Alcaraz last month and suffered a significant loss to Andrey Rublev in Dubai.
Emma Raducanu vs Amanda Anisimova
Emma Raducanu secured a decisive victory over Anastasia Zakharova to advance to a Sunday matchup with Amanda Anisimova. Anisimova, a finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open last year, navigated a tough first set in her previous Round of 32 match, ultimately dropping only one game across the final two sets.
These two players have met on three previous occasions, all occurring in the prior year. Raducanu claimed victories in their initial two contests before Anisimova secured a win in Montreal. Anisimova is generally viewed as the favorite, indicating a challenging battle for Raducanu despite her strong performance against Zakharova.
Camila Osorio vs Naomi Osaka
Camila Osorio has set up an intriguing clash with Naomi Osaka after achieving strong wins against Sloane Stephens and overcoming Iva Jovic in a hard-fought match. The 24-year-old Colombian’s recent run of form establishes her as a formidable opponent for Osaka.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, had a relatively easy victory over qualifier Victoria Jiménez Kasintseva. However, she has experienced a challenging period in recent months, marked by a series of disappointing performances. Their head-to-head record is tied at one win each, with Osorio having defeated Osaka at this very event a year prior. This matchup is anticipated to be highly competitive.