The California desert is gearing up for some professional tennis action. Dubbed the "tennis paradise," the BNP Paribas Open, a 1000-level ATP and WTA tournament, is the biggest event outside of the four Grand Slams. Fans will witness the top tennis stars in action, as it is the first tournament where they will all be present since the conclusion of the Australian Open in January.
| Indian Wells Open Mens Odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniil Medvedev | +200 | +200 | +210 |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Jannik Sinner | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Taylor Fritz | +1300 | +1300 | +1300 |
The event will take place in Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, from March 6-19, and is the first of the "Sunshine Double," with the Miami Open following right after. However, due to the U.S. travel restrictions, unvaccinated international players like Novak Djokovic cannot participate in the tournament, despite his appeal. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal withdrew due to a hip injury sustained during the Australian Open.
Before we get into the betting options for the tournament, please make sure to check our tennis betting page to answer any and all questions you may have about wagering on tennis.
The Contenders
Oddsmakers are clearly waiting for qualifying to complete before releasing futures for the tournament, but with Djokovic and Nadal missing the tournament, it leaves a wide-open field for the promising young stars in tennis. 2021 US Open winner Daniil Medvedev along with the reigning US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz are set to play and should both be viewed as serious contenders.
Medvedev is relishing the opportunity to compete on his preferred surface, as nearly all of his 18 ATP Tour titles have been secured on hard courts. This includes his first-ever Grand Slam victory at the 2021 US Open.
We will be watching Alcaraz health closely as we are waiting to see if the Spanish world number two Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled out of last week's ATP 500 event in Acapulco with a strained hamstring, will be back to full strength.
Taylor Fritz, the breakout Indian Wells champ from 2022, will defend his title after his fifth career trophy win at Delray Beach. In addition to Fritz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliasseime will be in the mix.
WTA Draw
On the women's side, Iga Swiatek, the current world No.1, is also set to play, fresh off her 12th career triumph in Doha. Swiatek made history last year by becoming the youngest woman ever to achieve the Sunshine Double, conquering both Indian Wells and Miami. Now, she aims to join the ranks of Martina Navratilova as the first player since 1990-1991 to successfully defend her title at Indian Wells.
The world of women's tennis may witness the emergence of a great rivalry between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. The two players have faced each other six times, with Swiatek holding a 4-2 advantage. Sabalenka, who won her first major championship in Australia in January, claimed their most recent encounter at the 2022 WTA Finals.
Swiatek could also develop a rivalry with Tunisia's Ons Jabeur, whom she defeated in the US Open final, and Caroline Garcia, the surprising winner of the WTA Finals trophy in November. Other players to watch out for in the Top 10 include Maria Sakkari, the 2022 runner-up, Wimbledon champion and Australian Open runner-up Elena Rybakina, the skillful Daria Kasatkina, and Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.
Jessica Pegula, a seasoned player, has secured a spot in the WTA's Top 5 rankings. However, the question is whether she can elevate her game to the next level. She achieved her first WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara last year and frequently partners with Coco Gauff in doubles, who is now ranked as the world No.6 in singles.
Best Bets
The two favorites in this tournament will be the best hard court players, Alcaraz and Medvedev. Both are solid bets and great players. However, the wager I like the most on the men’s side is for Tsitsipas to win. Rallying off his momentum from the Australian Open, Tsisipas is your best bet in this tournament without Nadal or Djokovic in the field.
On the women's side of the court, I really wanted to back Pegula, as the hard court event plays to her strengths, but I'm backing Sabalenka to continue her hot start to 2023 and narrow the gap in her rivalry with Swiatek.
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