Mirra Andreeva will be looking to really start making her mark against the top players by beating Iga Swiatek on the hard courts again, while Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys is a repeat of the Australian Open Final and with both playing well enough in Indian Wells to want to take a watching interest.
Saturday will feature the two ATP Semi Finals and selections can be read below.
Daniil Medvedev - 2.5 games v Holger Rune: Conditions in Indian Wells can become very difficult and that may have contributed to Daniil Medvedev's mid-match slump in his eventual Quarter Final win over Arthur Fils. He was the deserved winner on the day, but Medvedev will also be happy to hear that the conditions at the tournament are set to be warmer and a lot less windy over the final couple of days.
That will also suit Holger Rune, who needed three sets for the second time in four matches to win his own Quarter Final.
An inconsistent opening to 2025 will have felt like a disappointment for Holger Rune who had a 6-5 record on the hard courts before entering Indian Wells. Four wins in a row will have given him confidence, especially when you consider how well Rune has played in those matches, and he will certainly feel he can offer plenty in this Semi Final against the World Number 6.
He will need to produce some quality tennis if he is going to beat Daniil Medvedev, who has only needed to win three matches to earn his own spot in the Semi Final having been the beneficiary of a Third Round match that lasted just two games.
However, the level of tennis being produced by Daniil Medvedev has to be very encouraging, even after that dip against Arthur Fils in the Quarter Final, and the conditions should have eased to help the Russian with his serve and style of play.
Both players will be pretty happy with the returning numbers and will believe they can maintain those levels, but Daniil Medvedev may believe he is the one that has more to come behind the serve.
Holger Rune has been producing really well behind that shot at this tournament, but he has not been at his best on the serve in 2025, whereas Daniil Medvedev has not quite matched his overall season numbers. This is a factor that could easily swing back towards Medvedev within this match, especially having won the last two meetings against Holger Rune, including here in Indian Wells twelve months ago.
Both have slipped from the World Ranking mark they held going into the 2024 tournament, but Daniil Medvedev is still operating at a level where he will believe he can frank that victory with another at the same tournament.
In that Quarter Final match, it was Daniil Medvedev who showed off the stronger returning play and he had Holger Rune under the cosh in plenty of his service games. The two sets played were competitive thanks to Rune's own ability to get stuck into the return, but Daniil Medvedev was the right winner and has produced more so far this season to believe he edges past the Dane again.
Carlos Alcaraz - 3.5 games v Jack Draper: Some have accused Jack Draper of 'quitting' in matches against Carlos Alcaraz, but that will be put to the test when they meet in the Semi Final in Indian Wells.
The British player beat Carlos Alcaraz on the grass of Queen's Club last year, which is a huge win for Jack Draper considering Alcaraz is now a two time Wimbledon Champion. However, either side of that victory, Draper has been forced to pull out mid-match against Carlos Alcaraz both here in Indian Wells in 2023 and at the Australian Open earlier this year.
In both of those matches, Jack Draper was well on the way to defeat and it is those moments that many feel is something that can be used to beat him with.
No excuses will be made for the World Number 14 this week and the performances in winning four matches at the tournament will have given Jack Draper a lot of confidence. He has won all eight sets played and the strong lefty serve has allowed him to play with some freedom on the return, which has ultimately led to some dominant victories.
Three American players have been beaten so Jack Draper should be accustomed to his opponent earning the majority of the support from the stands, and he has to be given credit for the way he has played the big points.
Doing that again will be key for Jack Draper as he prepares to face the World Number 3 and a player who has opened 2025 in very strong form, even after the disappointing Quarter Final exit at the Australian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz has produced some special numbers, but is somehow exceeding those in Indian Wells having also won all four matches in straight sets.
The Quarter Final win was the toughest with the second set needing a tie-breaker, but five of the eight sets have been won with the loss of three or fewer games and two others had seen the opponent win just four games as Carlos Alcaraz has shown his comfort in playing through windy conditions.
Serving well has been huge for both Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper and both have won at least 70% of points played behind that shot, but it is Alcaraz who has shown the stronger returning ability.
That is not only through the tournament, but in general on the hard courts and Carlos Alcaraz' returning numbers are right in line with the way 2025 has opened up for him. On the other side of the court, Jack Draper is returning better here than he had been before Indian Wells and so it may be tougher for the lower Ranked player to keep finding that level, especially against some with the obvious qualities of the Spaniard across the net.
In their previous four pro meetings, Carlos Alcaraz has shown he can get his teeth into the Jack Draper serve and the expectation is of more of the same in this Semi Final.
Covering the handicap will be far from easy if Jack Draper is concentrating fully on his serving, but the feeling is that the scoreboard pressure will tell at key times and that should see Carlos Alcaraz through to another Masters Final with a solid victory under his belt.
MY PICKS: Daniil Medvedev - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Carlos Alcaraz - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Indian Wells Update: 5-6, - 1.93 Units (11 Units Staked, - 17.55% Yield)
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