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It’s March 19th, 2023, which means that the 2023 Indian Wells tournament is at its very end. Concerning the WTA Indian Wells final, the participants are set following the completion of the semi-finals last night. In case you haven’t seen the results, the final will be a repeat of the 2023 Australian Open final – Sabalenka vs Rybakina. Of course, Sabalenka won that tournament to capture her first Grand Slam title, but today is a new day.
As for the ATP Indian Wells final, we will see a duel between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, as we expected coming into the semis since both of these players are playing at an insane level right now.
However, we all know that anything can happen in tennis. Anyway, with both of the BNP Paribas finals approaching quickly, I’d like to spend a short time breaking these games down. This way, you’ll have an idea of what to expect from these matches, and why you should definitely try and watch them if you can. So let me get the ball rolling right now.
WTA Indian Wells Final – Sabalenka vs Rybakina
Just like ATP Indian Wells final, the final for the women’s singles tournament at Indian Wells is already set. Following the semi-final matches last night, we know that it will be a repeat of the Australian Open final, which was a thriller. But when the match of Sabalenka vs Rybakina begins, what can we expect to see? Or perhaps more specifically, who is most likely to win the match? Well, let me share my thoughts now.
Aryna Sabalenka Preview
As the number 2 player in the world, Sabalenka is obviously a force to be reckoned with right now. She’s had a truly incredible 2023 season to date. With the loss of just one match, Sabalenka has been on a tear – winning two titles in the process. Of course, the biggest of these titles was the 2023 Australian Open, in which she beat Elena Rybakina in three sets to win the first slam of the season. So clearly, she’s one of the most ‘in form’ players on the WTA Tour right now, and her confidence must be off the charts.
As for the breakdown of the upcoming WTA Indian Wells final against Rybakina, Sabalenka has a 4-0 head-to-head record against her. With that said, all four matches have been decided in three sets, so it’s been a tough contest every single time. Furthermore, besides the 2023 Australian Open final, the other three matches were played in 2021 or before. So really, we can’t read too much into the head-to-head, despite it being 4-0.
Elena Rybakina Preview
Rybakina is without question, one of the biggest hitters on the WTA Tour. This is greatly helped by the fact that she is tall, with long limbs that enable her to hit huge serves and vicious groundstrokes. But these aren’t the only traits that have helped Rybakina to reach her current ranking of number 10 in the world. Additionally, I would call Rybakina a ‘big match player’. This means that she’s able to bring her best tennis out when it really matters.
She’s been able to do this while winning the 2022 Wimbledon title, and she also brought her A-game in Australia too. Yet specifically for Indian Wells, Rybakina has made the final with the loss of just one set. However, if she’s to win the title, she will need to beat a player that she’s never beaten before.
ATP Indian Wells Final – Carlos Alcaraz vs Daniil Medvedev
Moving the focus to the men’s singles tournament now, things are equally as exciting as they are for the WTA Indian Wells final. As stated previously, the men’s finals will be played between Alcaraz and Medvedev, two of the players who are currently in the best form and arguably two of the best tennis players in the world right now, next to Novak Djokovic.
Carlos Alcaraz Preview
At just nineteen, Alcaraz is already the world’s no.2 in the ATP rankings and already has many titles in his pocket, including one Grand Slam won at the American soil last year, so Alcaraz is certainly pretty confident about his chances at Indian Wells. After all, he is also the winner of the Miami Open, the second tournament to be played in the US in March and the second part of what is dubbed the Sunshine Double, so he has to feel good ahead of his duel with Daniil Medvedev.
A win in the final over Medvedev would not only bring the first Indian Wells title to the young Spaniard, but also a spot at the top of the ATP rankings, at least for some time given that he is defending a lot of points as a champion of Miami Open. That being said, Alcaraz won’t have fond memories of his only duel with Medvedev so far since he lost that match at 2021 Wimbledon in straight set to the Russian, but that was nearly two years ago, which is ages for a young player like Alcaraz.
Daniil Medvedev Preview
Daniil Medvedev, as you may have noticed, is doing rather well on tour at the moment. Amazingly, he has captured three ATP titles in a row, and he’s now in the finals of the first Masters 1000 event of the season. And facing the world number 2 in the finals and one of the best players in the world despite his young age, Carlos Alcaraz.
Although the Russian is currently 6th in the ATP rankings and will only get to the 5th place regardless of the result in this final, he will have a strong motive anyway since this is his first-ever Indian Wells final. So, it is a rare chance for him to win a title at this particular Masters tournament, so Medvedev will certainly give his all to take that chance. One thing is certain – the experience is on the side of the Russian given that Alcaraz is just nineteen years old right now, but will that be enough for Medvedev to prevail?
