Former world No. 20, Dmitry Tursunov, has shared his expert opinion on the top contenders for the women’s WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells.
Regarding Aryna Sabalenka, Tursunov believes her initial challenge will be overcoming the early rounds, specifically mentioning a match against Kessler or Blinkova. He anticipates she should confidently advance to face Alexandrova. However, he notes that playing against Alexandrova will be a significant test for Sabalenka, as she often struggles with players who possess powerful hitting abilities. This match will be a crucial indicator for Sabalenka.
Turning to Iga Swiatek, Tursunov suggests that despite some setbacks earlier in the year, this tournament might be where she rediscovers her best form. He points out that only Ons Jabeur and Karolina Muchova could potentially challenge Swiatek in the initial stages, as Swiatek has historically found it difficult against players with diverse playing styles. These two matches will be telling, revealing Swiatek’s psychological and physical condition. Nonetheless, Tursunov expects Swiatek to reach at least the semi-finals.
Discussing Elena Rybakina, Tursunov raises concerns about her physical condition. He observed that in Dubai, her movement wasn’t as sharp as her peak performance. Although she played at a decent level, she was defeated by a more consistent Andreeva. However, Tursunov acknowledges seeing glimpses of the strengths that have previously led Rybakina to success. If Rybakina is at 70-80% fitness, he believes she will definitely be a strong contender for a high result.
About a potential rematch between Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round, Tursunov leans towards Rybakina securing a revenge victory. He acknowledges Andreeva’s impressive performance in Dubai but points out that Andreeva was losing with a break, and Rybakina made numerous unforced errors in that match. If Rybakina corrects these mistakes, Tursunov considers her the favorite.
Concluding his predictions, Tursunov stated, “I think Swiatek should win the tournament. Indian Wells is often very windy, and out of all the players, Iga handles these conditions the best.”
