Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 16th)

The last couple of days have been a touch busier and that has meant shorter threads.

Tuesday proved to be a positive day, but I am looking for some consistency from the Tennis Picks through the remainder of this first Masters of the season. The tournament will come to a conclusion this weekend before the Tour moves onto Miami next week and we have reached the business end of the tournament.

Hopefully the wins continue on Wednesday with the selections below.

Hubert Hurkacz + 2.5 games v Andrey Rublev: Over the last twelve months you have to give the edge to Andrey Rublev over Hubert Hurkacz when it comes to the hard court numbers produced, although both are very strong on the surface. The slower conditions in Indian Wells may give Andrey Rublev a slight advantage in this match too and I am not surprised he is the favourite, but this is a match up that has been very tough for him and I certainly think the lower Ranked player can make a real impact on this Fourth Round encounter.

Andrey Rublev is having a strong 2022 and he is certainly one of the top players on the ATP Tour, especially when it comes to hard court tennis. His numbers over the first two matches at Indian Wells has seen the Russian player produce some consistency behind his serve, but it is the return game that has really propelled him into comfortable back to back wins.

The win over Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday evening showed the confidence that Andrey Rublev has on the surface, but I do think he is going to be tested by the Hubert Hurkacz serve.

The Polish player has held 90% of service games played on the hard courts in 2022 and he has slightly improved that number in his two wins in this tournament. Hubert Hurkacz has faced a couple of tough servers and has not been returning as well as his overall season numbers, and that is going to be a challenge on his side of the court in this match too.

In their sole meeting in 2022, Andrey Rublev got the better of Hubert Hurkacz for the first time on a quicker court in Dubai, but it is the latter who had won the previous two matches.

The win in Dubai came in three sets and was a very competitive match, although it should be noted that Andrey Rublev was deserving of the win. However, their previous two hard court matches has seen Hubert Hurkacz have a slight edge when it comes to protecting the serve and I certainly think he is capable of keeping this one close with the games being given to the underdog.

A single break of serve may be enough to steal a set for Hubert Hurkacz and that may be all it takes for him to cover as the underdog and I think the games can be kept onside in this Fourth Round match.

MY PICKS: Hubert Hurkacz + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Nick Kyrgios @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Madison Keys + 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 19-17, - 3.50 Units (72 Units Staked, - 4.86% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 15th)

I have a busier day than expected on Tuesday and that means there is only one match that I have had time to write up, with the remaining selections below.

Simona Halep - 4.5 games v Sorana Cirstea: A little over a year separates these two players in age and it is something of a surprise that Simona Halep and Sorana Cirstea have not met more than three times on the pro Tour in their long careers. The two Romanian players will be very familiar with one another as they prepare to face off for the first time in over a decade when both Halep and Cirstea were still looking to make an impact on the Tour.

The last time these players met one another was in the Canadian Masters in 2010 and at the time Simona Halep was Ranked 96 and Sorana Cirstea Ranked 74. They are both inside the top 30 of the World Rankings these days, although it is Simona Halep who has had the stronger career and who is looking to reach the very top of the WTA Tour once again.

In saying that, Simona Halep will be the first to point out the improved tennis being produced by Sorana Cirstea over the last eighteen months which has rejuvenated a career that looked to have seen its best days. Sorana Cirstea has proved herself to be a tough out on the hard courts in 2022 and her numbers are solid behind serve, while the 46% of points won on the return makes her a very capable player.

The return numbers have taken a significant dent when Sorana Cirstea has played opponents Ranked inside the top 50 on this surface and that is really evident when looking at a twelve month sample of her results. However, the Simona Halep serve can be a little inconsistent and it should mean there is a chance for Cirstea to at least push her compatriot all the way.

Simona Halep is a very strong hard court player though and I think the conditions in Indian Wells should suit her game all the more than some of the other hard courts used on the Tour. It is a slower surface and Halep is a very strong clay court player too so I expect her timing to be unaffected here.

She has been serving well in 2022, although a couple of really poor matches have also been played, while Simona Halep has won 50% of points played on return. It should give her an edge in this match and help her move into a position to cover what is a big spread on first glance.

Sorana Cirstea has been a tough out for opponents and that is a concern ahead of this match, but I think Simona Halep has been able to win by comfortable margins in matches when she has gotten on a roll. There have been some poor defeats on the record in 2022, but Halep has won a lot of matches and I think she has enough in her tennis to be in a position to cover this mark.

MY PICKS: Simona Halep - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Petra Martic + 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Botic Van De Zandschlup - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 15-15, - 6.24 Units (60 Units Staked, - 10.40% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 14th)

It may not have been a perfect Sunday, but at least the Tennis Picks produced a winning day and that has moved the tournament tally back towards the positive.

There is still work to do, but hopefully that is the start of a good run.

We are getting into the business end of the first Masters of the 2022 season and that means the matches should become much more tense as the top names get ready to face one another. A wide open WTA tournament should be fun to watch, while the ATP event has already seen a number of upsets throughout the draw, which again should make it interesting viewing for those watching on.

Paula Badosa - 4.5 games v Sara Sorribes Tormo: Winning the title at Indian Wells in the Autumn underlined the progress Paula Badosa has made on the hard courts, although conditions will be a little different with the tournament back in its usual spot in the calendar. The Second Round win shows that Paula Badosa is capable of having another strong run here with her game well suited to the court speed.

She is going to be a strong favourite to reach the next Round when facing compatriot Sara Sorribes Tormo in the Third Round, although overlooking this opponent would be a mistake.

The last twelve months have been very successful for Sara Sorribes Tormo and she reached a career best World Ranking just last month. The lower Ranked Spaniard has been pretty productive when facing some of the better players on the Tour too, while Sara Sorribes Tormo has been surprisingly effective as a hard court player.

Sara Sorribes Tormo has been a very good return player on the surface and that is the main reason she has been as competitive as she has. The first serve is not the best, but Sorribes Tormo has been able to look after her second serve and it has helped her remain competitive, even if the margin for error is relatively small with the style of play produced.

An opponent like Paula Badosa will feel the style is one that allows her to get on the front foot in this match and it has been the reason she has been able to secure two pretty strong wins over Sara Sorribes Tormo in each of their last couple of matches on the Tour.

The first serve is an area where Paula Badosa has a big edge over Sara Sorribes Tormo and I think it will be the reason the higher Ranked player is able to get on top of this match. The spread is a big one, but Paula Badosa has won 45% of return points played over the last twelve months when facing opponents Ranked outside the top 20.

It is a number that should see Paula Badosa pose plenty of return problems for the Sara Sorribes Tormo serve and I think it helps the defending Champion produce a strong win on her way through to the next Round.

Elise Mertens - 3.5 games v Daria Gavrilova: The WTA Tour has a number of players that are very capable of producing some very high level tennis on any given day, but who struggle with the consistency needed to produce their best on a week to week basis. One of those for me is Elise Mertens who has never been inside the top 10 of the World Rankings, but who is a solid all-court player that can beat any opponent on the Tour.

At the moment she is Ranked outside the top 20 and I do think there is plenty of room for improvement that can come about with a big run over the next several weeks. Moving back onto the clay courts should be a benefit, but the conditions at Indian Wells should also suit Elise Mertens who crushed Marta Kostyuk in the Second Round.

The second serve is a vulnerability and has perhaps held Elise Mertens back, but I think this is a match up that should suit her with Daria Gavrilova unlikely to overpower her on the return.

Daria Gavrilova has had a good tournament having worked her way through the Qualifiers and then won two matches in the main draw. There was a time when the Russian turned Australian was a top 20 Ranked player, but recent years have been tough with injury and a loss of form meaning she is now outside the top 400, although the run here will help that Ranking.

The wins here will also have given Daria Gavrilova some confidence, while her numbers in 2022 have been relatively solid. However, the serve remains a vulnerable part of her game and that has to be an area where Elise Mertens is able to have considerable success.

These two have not played one another since 2018 so much has changed, but Elise Mertens won the last three between the players and had strong return numbers to win those matches. I think that will be the case at Indian Wells in 2022 as Elise Mertens moves into a position to cover this mark and it is something I believe she can do.

Daniil Medvedev - 4.5 games v Gael Monfils: The uncertainty for Russian players on the Tennis Tours means the World Number 1 may not be able to defend his current World Ranking on the courts. This is something that Daniil Medvedev has spoken about, although he also admits there is not much he can do if the ATP and WTA Tours decide they are going to suspend Russian players from competing.

It is a sensitive subject and one that is going to upset people no matter which way the Tours end up going.

For Daniil Medvedev the focus is to try and perform to the best of his ability each time he is out on the courts and there is no doubting the level he has maintained on the hard courts. While he has yet to really put his stamp on rivals alongside Daniil Medvedev in the top ten of the World Rankings, Daniil Medvedev has largely dominated those outside of those positions and he has the kind of tennis that is very difficult to break down.

Over the last twelve months, Daniil Medvedev has held 89% of his service games played on the hard courts against players Ranked outside the top ten. In those same matches, Medvedev has broken in 34% of return games played and he is going to be a big threat to Gael Monfils, despite the strong form shown by the veteran.

Gael Monfils has played really well in 2022 and reached the Quarter Final at the Australian Open after winning a title in January, although there have been some question marks about his health ahead of the Indian Wells tournament. He has missed some significant time on the court and Gael Monfils admitted he had some issues from the Covid vaccine booster jab which meant not being able to represent France in the Davis Cup.

A solid win in the Second Round may ease some concerns, but Gael Monfils has a 2-7 record on the hard courts against top 20 Ranked opponents over the last twelve months. The Frenchman has held 77% of his service games in those matches and broken in just shy of 20% of return games played and I think that likely means he is going to be put under considerable pressure by someone with the consistency and quality of Daniil Medvedev.

They have split two previous matches, but those were played in 2019 and Medvedev is much improved now- the World Number 1 should have the quality on the return to move into a position to cover this wide handicap mark, although Gael Monfils cannot ever be underestimated.

Cameron Norrie - 4.5 games v Nikoloz Basilashvili: For most casual tennis fans it may still be a big surprise to hear Cameron Norrie is the defending Champion of Indian Wells, although the reality is that the much improved player did win the event when it was played in the Autumn. The move back to the usual slot in the calendar might make things a little different for Cameron Norrie, but he was a comfortable winner in the First Round and there is no doubting how high his confidence has to be going into the tournament.

January was not a very productive month for Cameron Norrie and the early loss at the Australian Open really hurt, but he is still at his career best World Ranking of Number 12 and the performances since Melbourne have been very impressive. He won the title at Delray Beach and followed up by reaching the Final in Acapulco, while Cameron Norrie also reached the Quarter Final in Rotterdam.

Those results are impressive, but they have been very much deserved as Norrie has held 87% of his service games and broken in 28% of return games played in those tournaments. With the confidence of having won the title here, Cameron Norrie could be a tough out for every opponent he faces over the next week.

The Third Round sees Cameron Norrie face the player he beat in the Indian Wells Final at the end of 2021, although it is the first match that Nikoloz Basilashvili has played in the 2022 edition of the event. The Georgian benefited from Fabio Fognini withdrawing from the tournament, but Nikoloz Basilashvili has had an inconsistent season so far and will have to up his level to compete in this match.

It has been a poor season outside of the run to the Final in Doha, but you do have to wonder if the return to this setting will inspire Nikoloz Basilashvili as it did when playing in that event in the Middle East, which he won last year. Over the last twelve months, Nikoloz Basilashvili has produced relatively average numbers on the hard courts, but in 2022 he has been really struggling to hold serve and that has put a lot of pressure on his return game.

I expect Cameron Norrie to be able to exert pressure with his return, especially as the British player has broken the Nikoloz Basilashvili serve in 50% of the return games played in two wins over him. Cameron Norrie has held 81% of his own service games in those head to head matches and I think current form of the two players means the significant edge has to be with the defending Champion.

MY PICKS: Paula Badosa - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elise Mertens - 3.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet365 (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Denis Shapovalov @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units) 

Indian Wells Update: 13-12, - 3.50 Units (50 Units Staked, - 7% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 13th)

The first four days of the Indian Wells Tournament has not been as productive as I would have liked, but I don't believe the identification of the selections needs to be changed.

Of course I would to put some consistent winners on the board, but the tournament has another week to go and that means there is time to get this turned around and into a positive position.

Alex De Minaur - 3.5 games v John Millman: Two compatriots meet in the Second Round at the Indian Wells tournament on Sunday and that familiarity between Alex De Minaur and John Millman should mean there is a relative comfort on the court.

It may mainly be felt by Alex De Minaur who has won all three professional matches between the two players and largely in dominant style. The two wins on the hard courts has seen Alex De Minaur hold 75% of his service games, but the real damage done to John Millman has been on the return of serve with the latter only winning 46% of points behind serve and holding in 30% of service games played across those two matches.

The last twelve months have been challenging for Alex De Minaur and so I am expecting this to be closer than their previous two hard court matches, although I still give the higher Ranked Australian the edge to cover this spread.

Both the serve and return have been improved in 2022, but over the last twelve months Alex De Minaur has had some vulnerabilities on the hard courts which has stunted his progression. The hope is that the early season form is something he can maintain, although the first match in any new tournament can be a challenge for even the very best players.

John Millman was a First Round winner having benefited as a Lucky Loser when falling in the Qualifiers. At his best, John Millman is a competent hard court player and his numbers are solid, if nothing spectacular.

There has been enough in his tennis to think the familiarity with the Indian Wells conditions could see him give Alex De Minaur trouble, but the head to head between them has to be a concern for John Millman. My feeling is that it will mean a slow start from Alex De Minaur as he just figures things out before he is able to start dominating an opponent that he has bettered in their previous matches.

Both will know all they need to about the other, but Alex De Minaur has had the edge and I think he can win well to move through to the Third Round.

MY PICKS: Alex De Minaur - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Sorana Cirstea - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Kaia Kanepi - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 9-10, - 5.74 Units (38 Units Staked, - 15.11% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 12th)

Friday proved to be another largely frustrating day, but one in which I thought the Tennis Picks were performing better than the final outcome.

It might be down to the fact that a couple of the losing selections essentially got to the hill before slipping over and failed to get over the line- Karolina Pliskova led 6-2, 5-2 before losing, while Miomir Kecmanovic was up 6-4, 4-2 and also was unable to cover the spread as he blew the second set before rallying.

That hurts, but again I make the point that I think the selections were correct and ultimately failed on a bit of misfortune rather than being outright poor picks.

And I promise to not make a Pick when Andy Murray faces Taro Daniel again having fallen to 0-3 in those selections alone this season.

Carlos Alcaraz - 3.5 games v Mackenzie McDonald: Scheduling your season in the right way is just as important to the top players on the Tour as the ability to produce their best tennis in the big moments. Over the years Dominic Thiem is an example of someone who has had to change their schedule to make sure they are ready to compete throughout the long season and I do think it is something that Carlos Alcaraz is going to have to figure out in the years ahead.

The young, extremely talented Spaniard is clearly going to very comfortable on the clay courts and I think it is no surprise that he leant towards the South American Golden Swing between the Australian Open and the Indian Wells Masters. To be fair, Carlos Alcaraz only entered the one tournament in Rio and he went on and one the ATP 500 event, while he has also reached a career best World Ranking of Number 19.

Last season he also played in South America on the clay courts before losing a couple of quick matches in Acapulco and Miami on the hard courts, while he also lost his first match at Indian Wells. A couple of those losses came against Alexander Zverev and Andy Murray, but Carlos Alcaraz is a very solid hard court player and I think the biggest challenge for him is how to handle the move from the clay onto this surface.

Indian Wells may prove to be best way to get accustomed to the hard courts over the next three weeks before the entire Tour moves onto the clay courts. Carlos Alcaraz should appreciate the slower court speed, while the youngster has held 81% of service games played on the hard courts over the last twelve months, while breaking in almost 28% of return games in the same time span.

Carlos Alcaraz was playing well at the Australian Open, but he will have to be focused from the start of this one against a comfortable hard court player in Mackenzie McDonald. The American was a straight sets winner in the First Round, so is comfortable in the conditions, while Mackenzie McDonald reached the Quarter Final in Dubai last month.

However, it should be pointed out that Mackenzie McDonald has weaker numbers behind both serve and return compared with Carlos Alcaraz and I expect that to make the difference in this Second Round match. The serve is a little more vulnerable when McDonald faces top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts, although his 5-5 record in 2022 has to be respected.

A deeper look over the last twelve months shows that Mackenzie McDonald has struggled with his return against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts and I think that leaves his serve a little more vulnerable too.

A first match on the surface since January is a slight concern, but Carlos Alcaraz is extremely talented and a progressive player that should have too much for this level of opponent.

Rafael Nadal - 4.5 games v Sebastian Korda: The future is looking like it could be very bright for Sebastian Korda, but the young player could be given another lesson by current top star Rafael Nadal. These two met at the French Open two years ago and Rafael Nadal crushed Sebastian Korda, who admitted before the match that Nadal was an idol that he had long admired.

I don't think Rafael Nadal will be as dominant in this match as he was on his favoured surface in Paris, but the Spaniard has taken full advantage of being the only member of the long valued 'Big Three' of the ATP Tour that is currently played consistently. Roger Federer is injured and Novak Djokovic's problems are well documented, but Rafael Nadal has still had to do his own work on the court after a serious injury in 2021.

Some thought it could be a career ending injury for Rafael Nadal, but he has returned very successfully in 2022 and is still unbeaten. Title wins in Melbourne and Acapulco have sandwiched the twenty-first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and Nadal is playing at arguably his best level on the hard courts.

The serve has been effective, but it is the 32% of return games in which he has found a break of serve which has been very impressive and powered the successes Rafael Nadal has had.

Sebastian Korda has had some mixed performances on the hard courts in 2022 and his serve is one that can be a little vulnerable, which is an area that Nadal can exploit. Like his hero, Sebastian Korda has been very good on the return of serve, but it will be tough to break down the Rafael Nadal serve if he is chasing this match.

Those return numbers have also taken a considerable dip when Sebastian Korda has faced players higher up the World Rankings and I think that is where he has a lot of room to improve. While he has been competitive in matches through sheer talent, a player like Rafael Nadal has already shown Sebastian Korda the kind of work you need to get through to challenge him and I think the younger player is still going to up short at the big moments.

The conditions at Indian Wells suit Rafael Nadal and he has had strong results at this Masters event, while the form of the Spaniard is second to none. The tennis should be easy on the eye throughout this match, but I think Rafael Nadal finds the breaks of serve that he will need to cover this handicap spread.

Daniel Evans - 5.5 games v Federico Coria: Some of the early performances in 2022 were very encouraging for Daniel Evans and he looked on course to improve his career best World Ranking and perhaps even crack the top 20 for the first time. Consistency, or lack thereof, has always been the big question next to the Daniel Evans name and some of the early optimism may have faded.

Early losses in a couple of big events held in the Middle East won't have helped, but Daniel Evans is a big favourite to win his opening match at the Indian Wells Masters.

He was beaten in the Third Round when playing here in the Autumn in 2021, but the bare minimum expected of him in this tournament is to match that performance. This is the first match Daniel Evans will have played here compared with Federico Coria who had to win in the First Round to earn his spot next to Evans in the draw, but that doesn't cover up the issues Coria has had on the hard courts.

Federico Coria beat Pablo Cuevas in the First Round, but over the last twelve months he has compiled a 3-9 record on the hard courts. The Argentine is on course to break the top 60 of the World Rankings for the first time and earning automatic entry into the biggest events on the Tour will be a real boost for him.

The stronger results have come on the clay courts and Federico Coria has struggled to really compete at an effective level on this surface. He has only held 64% of his service games played on the hard courts over the last twelve months and that puts Coria under an immense amount of pressure on the surface.

However, Federico Coria has not been good enough returning on this surface with breaks in just shy of 19% of return games played and even the slower conditions in Indian Wells may not be enough to change the outcome of this match. Daniel Evans is not going to overpower Federico Coria, but I do think he can exert enough pressure on the return having broken in 21% of return games played over the last twelve months on the hard courts.

This is a very big spread, but Daniel Evans has shown he can blow past opponents of a certain level and I think that will be the case in this Second Round match.

Naomi Osaka - 4.5 games v Veronika Kudermetova: After being out of action since the Australian Open, it was perhaps no surprise that Naomi Osaka needed a little bit of court time to find her rhythm. She would have hoped for a much easier First Round match than having to face Sloane Stephens just a couple of weeks out from a title win, but the way Naomi Osaka rolled through the last two sets has to be highly encouraging.

Seeing Naomi Osaka in the First Round took some getting used to as the former World Number 1 has slipped down the World Rankings. The only hope I have is that she is ready to compete on a week to week basis and Naomi Osaka can get back amongst the very best players on the Tour, which is her rightful place, but it will take some hard work to do so.

Having a strong Indian Wells will help and Naomi Osaka continues to produce some big numbers on the hard courts, which will make her very dangerous for every single other player in the draw.

It is Veronika Kudermetova who has to face Naomi Osaka as the Seeded player that received a Bye through to the Second Round. She reached the Final in Dubai, one of the big events on the Tour, and that will offer Veronika Kudermetova, although she will also know how much she will have to lift her level to compete with someone who has won multiple Grand Slam titles on this surface.

Veronika Kudermetova also reached the Final in Melbourne in the build towards the Australian Open, but it has been a case of all or nothing more often than not in 2022. Early losses have also been a part of the season for Kudermetova, while her numbers suggest those two runs to the Final mentioned are an overachievement rather than something sustainable on current form.

Her return game has plenty of room for improvement and I think Veronika Kudermetova will struggle to get a lot of joy from Naomi Osaka. After the slow start against Sloane Stephens, Osaka began to look really good behind serve and I think that shot will lay the foundation for a clear win in the Second Round.

Naomi Osaka will be the first to admit that her own return game can be improved to make life that much easier for her, but I think she can build the pressure on her opponent and that can lead to the breaks needed to cover this spread.

Maria Sakkari - 4.5 games v Katerina Siniakova: The Australian Open ended relatively disappointingly for Maria Sakkari, but in previous years a run to the Fourth Round might have been seen as a positive. That only goes to show how much Maria Sakkari has improved on the Tour and she has followed up that run Down Under with some strong performances on the Tour.

The Greek player reached the Final in St Petersburg and was a Semi Finalist in Doha and those results underline the progress that has been made. Maria Sakkari is still waiting to win a really big title though to back up her current Number 6 World Ranking, but she is a much improved player on the Tour and someone who has produced much stronger numbers on this surface than in previous years.

Maria Sakkari has a very good serve and that is the foundation for her success, but she has also won 45% of return points played in 2022. Even looking back at a longer sample shows Maria Sakkari has been pretty steady on the return over a twelve month period and I think she can produce a much stronger effort at Indian Wells than she did a few months ago.

It is no surprise to see Maria Sakkari as a strong favourite against Katerina Siniakova who has only really had one half decent tournament as a Singles player in 2022. She won three Qualifiers in Dubai, but Katerina Siniakova had not won a main draw match on the Tour until the First Round win here at Indian Wells.

There was a time when Katerina Siniakova was a solid player on the Tour, but these days she is perhaps better as a Doubles player and has a second serve that can be attacked. The Czech player has lost matches by wide margins throughout 2022 and Katerina Siniakova is just 1-8 on the hard courts over the last twelve months when facing an opponent Ranked inside the top 20.

Katerina Siniakova has struggled to be competitive in those matches and she was well beaten by Maria Sakkari when these two players met at the US Open.

On that day it was the Maria Sakkari return which proved to be a huge advantage and I think it will be similar when they meet at Indian Wells in the Second Round. Katerina Siniakova can be a dangerous player when at her best, but she has struggled when playing against players Ranked as highly as Maria Sakkari and I think the top ten player will be too good.

Alison Van Uytvanck + 4.5 games v Elena Rybakina: I am pretty high on Elena Rybakina and what she has the potential to do in her career, but I am going to be opposing her in this Second Round match.

The Kazakhstan player has produced a 7-3 record on the hard courts in 2022 and her numbers have been very impressive in those matches. Elena Rybakina reached the Final in Adelaide in January before losing to World Number 1 Ashleigh Barty, but she has had some injury issues since then and it has meant a lack of consistency since that Final.

It certainly leaves Elena Rybakina vulnerable and I do think someone like Alison Van Uytvanck has the game on the hard courts to at least push an opponent that has been struggling physically in recent weeks.

Alison Van Uytvanck has a solid serve, which makes her dangerous and likely competitive, although performances against top 50 Ranked players on the hard courts over the last twelve months leaves much to be desired. However, she has been competitive in her two previous losses to Elena Rybakina and I think the physicality of the match could see the momentum lean towards the Belgian.

If Elena Rybakina is feeling as close to full health as she can, I do think she is someone who as the big serve to keep opponents at bay. The room for improvement is on the returning side of her tennis and the lack of competitive tennis of late may mean Rybakina is lacking some rhythm on that side of her game in this match.

I would have loved Alison Van Uytvanck to have been given one more game, but this start may still be enough for the Belgian to keep this one close.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Rafael Nadal - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Daniel Evans - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Maria Sakkari - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alison Van Uytvanck + 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 6-7, - 4.82 Units (26 Units Staked, - 18.54% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 11th)

After the first couple of selections fell by the wayside- I thought one had every chance of covering with a bit more quality at the big moments, while the other was a blow out defeat from start to finish- it would have been easy to be wondering how bad the day was going to turn out.

However, three straight winners to close out Thursday has at least put some positives on the board as the tournament in Indian Wells continues.

It looks like being another year at the event where the players are dealing with a slower court, but fast air conditions that can see the ball fly off the strings. The Christopher Eubanks-Maxime Cressy match was unaffected by the slower conditions, but it is something to keep in mind as this tournament is played and the conditions here are usually considerably different to most hard courts.

Andy Murray - 3.5 games v Taro Daniel: Strong results have pushed Taro Daniel back towards the top 100 of the World Rankings and he has earned his spot in the main draw at Indian Wells thanks to a couple of wins in the Qualifiers. The two wins came in comfortable fashion for Taro Daniel as he gets to face a familiar opponent.

For the third time in 2022, Taro Daniel will face Andy Murray and the two previous matches on the hard courts have been split with a win for each player. Andy Murray earned his place in the main draw thanks to a Wild Card, but he has struggled for consistency ever since he reached the Final in Sydney and Murray has not won back to back matches in any tournament since then either.

In saying that, Andy Murray will point to the fact he has not been beaten in the First Round of any tournament since the very first one in Melbourne back in January. Backing up the level needed to win matches has been tough, but Andy Murray is also down at World Number 88 in the Rankings and that means he tends to face tough opponents very early in draws.

The defeat to Taro Daniel at the Australian Open would have hurt, but Andy Murray crushed the same opponent in Doha and that should mean he has the confidence to back up that victory. Andy Murray has also produced a record of 8-2 when facing opponents Ranked outside the top 20 of the World Rankings this season and his numbers have been significantly better in those matches against the players that Murray will feel he should beat.

The British player has held 85% of service games played against those opponents outside of the top 20 of the World Rankings and Andy Murray has broken in 26% of return games played.

I expect Taro Daniel to test Murray more than he did in the one-sided loss in Doha, but he has struggled to break serve against the top 100 Ranked opponents he has faced on the hard courts. Taro Daniel had a decent time Down Under, but he has broken serve in only 16% of return games played against the top 100 Ranked opponents and I think that could be the difference between these two in this First Round match.

Both of these players hold a straight sets win over the other this season, but the Andy Murray numbers have been stronger of the two. He has held 73% of service games played compared with Taro Daniel's 70% mark and that is backed up by the fact that Andy Murray has just made a bit more use of his serve in terms of points won.

I do think Andy Murray benefits from this being his first match in the tournament and the win over Taro Daniel in Doha should mean he knows exactly what to do in the match. Conditions in Indian Wells can be tough and Taro Daniel is a bit more familiar with them, but Andy Murray won a couple of matches here when the tournament was played in the Autumn of 2021 and I think he will have enough to move into the Second Round behind another solid win over this opponent.

Miomir Kecmanovic - 2.5 games v Liam Broady: At 28 years old the feeling is that this is now or never for Liam Broady to finally break into the top 100 of the World Rankings. He reached a career best Ranking last month and a couple of wins in the Qualifiers has helped Liam Broady into the main draw at Indian Wells.

Winning Qualifiers and winning main draw matches is like night and day and Liam Broady will have to improve his performances. Qualifying for big events has been something that Broady has been able to achieve with considerable success throughout 2022, but he has only won a single match in the main draw after doing so.

Liam Broady is in for another challenge here even if Miomir Kecmanovic has spent the last month of his time playing on the clay courts. The Serbian has had success doing that, while Miomir Kecmanovic is a solid hard court player who has decent enough numbers, even if they don't leap off the page over the last twelve months.

Those numbers are certainly good enough to win a match like this one and Miomir Kecmanovic will be motivated to get his Ranking moving back in a positive direction to ensure automatic entry into events like this one going forward.

The British player has a left-handed serve which should give him an edge, but over the last twelve months he has only held 71% of his service games on the hard courts when facing an opponent who is Ranked inside the top 100. His return game has not been good enough for Liam Broady to overcome those numbers and I think that will be an issue for the underdog in this First Round match too.

These players met last year at the Miami Masters and it resulted in a win for Miomir Kecmanovic, although it did take three sets. On that day, the Serb had a considerable advantage on the serve and it could have been a more comfortable win on another day, something that I think could happen when they meet for the second time on the Tour on Friday.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Anhelina Kalinina: This has not been a very strong start to 2022 for Anhelina Kalinina, but she will be playing with more motivation as she proudly represents the Ukraine.

Her First Round win will be a real confidence booster, but Anhelina Kalinina had only won one of her opening four matches in 2022 and she had not played a competitive match since the Australian Open before arriving in Indian Wells. Winning a match will make her feel good, but Kalinina is going to be well aware of the kind of level that she has to step up to if she is going to challenge the Number 3 Seed in the draw.

One of the top Seeds as an opponent is a problem, but facing Iga Swiatek is another considering how well the Polish player has been performing. She won the big title in Doha having reached the Australian Open Semi Final, while the numbers have been very impressive from Iga Swiatek throughout this year.

The hard courts may not always be the surface you would expect the best from Iga Swiatek, but she is a confident player on most courts and the conditions in Indian Wells look very suitable for her tennis. Iga Swiatek has a considerably stronger serve than the one that Anhelina Kalinina will be trying to protect and I do think that is going to be the difference between the in this Second Round match.

The return is also becoming a more dangerous weapon for Iga Swiatek and she is winning 49% of return points played on the hard courts in 2022. That number is more impressive when you think of the level that Swiatek is competing at and it is a mark that is stronger than the 42% number that Anhelina Kalinina is holding.

Anhelina Kalinina has produced those numbers against players Ranked considerably below Iga Swiatek and I think the latter will find the tennis to pull away for a good win.

Madison Keys - 5.5 games v Misaki Doi: It has not been the best couple of years for Madison Keys as she has had some issues through the pandemic which have affected her tennis. A strong run to the Australian Open Semi Final in January has suggested that Madison Keys may just have used the time to renew her love of the sport, although we have not seen much of an impact from the American since the first Grand Slam of the season.

Early losses on the hard courts of Mexico will have dented some of the momentum, but Madison Keys remains one of the better players on this surface thanks to a huge serve and some heavy groundstrokes. The conditions of Indian Wells may not be ideal for her tennis, but I do think being back on North American soil will be an inspiration for Madison Keys with two big tournaments in the United States before the clay court season begins.

The numbers have been impressive in the opening couple of months of the 2022 season, and Madison Keys should be quite happy with the potential match up in front of her against Misaki Doi.

The lower Ranked player came from a set down to earn a win in the First Round, but she has not really made much of an impact on the main Tour and Misaki Doi continues to be a vulnerable player on the hard courts. A run to the Semi Final in Adelaide would have surprised, but Misaki Doi had lost three matches in a row on the main Tour before the win in the First Round and I do think she is going to have a tough match against Madison Keys with a vulnerable second serve and a return that may not hurt her opponent in this Second Round meeting.

Madison Keys has won five of the previous seven between these players and that includes all four matches that were played on the hard courts. In those matches, Madison Keys has dominated Misaki Doi and the latter has struggled to remain competitive on the scoreboard.

In those previous matches, Madison Keys has won plenty of points behind the first serve to keep the pressure on Misaki Doi. Even better, Keys has won 50% of return points played against Misaki Doi and I think the losing run can be ended in front of the home fans with Madison Keys capable of pulling clear for a wide success.

MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Miomir Kecmanovic - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Sorana Cirstea - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Clara Tauson - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 3-3, - 1.46 Units (12 Units Staked, - 12.17% Yield)

Indian Wells Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (March 10th)

As long as you can look at the Tennis Picks you make and accept the outcome without regret at the research to make the selection, you have to live with some of the fortune or misfortune that may come about.

Ultimately that is how I felt about the Dayana Yastremska selection on Wednesday- she was the player who created the most break points and she had multiple games in which she failed to break despite those break point opportunities in what ended up being a very narrow defeat.

It is the way it goes sometimes, but I think the selection was the right one and being on the other side would have needed the luck to get over the line. This is not a good start to the Indian Wells Masters Picks, but it is very early in the tournament and I don't need to be overly concerned just yet.

Naomi Osaka - 3.5 games v Sloane Stephens: Two Grand Slam Champions will meet in the First Round of the Indian Wells tournament beginning this week and I think that should tell you where Naomi Osaka and Sloane Stephens are with their tennis these days.

The most surprising part of this First Round match is that Sloane Stephens is 40 places higher in the World Rankings than Naomi Osaka- the latter has won four Grand Slam titles in her career, but she has had a difficult couple of years dealing with the pressures that come with becoming a high-profile player and it has meant Naomi Osaka has slipped down the World Rankings as she has missed a number of tournaments in that time.

Her early loss at the Australian Open did not help, but it is quite amazing to think that this will only be the twenty-first match played by Naomi Osaka over the last twelve months. Having her back consistently on the Tour would be huge for the WTA, even if we are about to enter the clay court portion of the season, which is not Osaka's favourite.

She has enjoyed playing at Indian Wells though and a former Champion here means the conditions should not be too much of a concern for Naomi Osaka. More problematic may be the lack of tennis played in recent weeks/months and especially as Osaka will be playing a confident opponent in Sloane Stephens.

The American won a title in Mexico in her last tournament, but Sloane Stephens has not really been a consistent threat on the Tour for a while now. Her numbers underline that and I think Naomi Osaka should be able to get more out of her first serve to put herself in a position to win this match.

It is Sloane Stephens who has won the two previous matches between these US Open Champions, but the last of those came in the WTA Finals in 2018. That was a couple of months after Naomi Osaka took over as the US Open Champion from Sloane Stephens, but I also think Osaka is a much better player now than she was.

The return remains the most vulnerable part of the Naomi Osaka game, but I think she will be able to get enough balls back in play to eventually begin to overpower Sloane Stephens. I do think there is still a strong player in Stephens that makes her potentially dangerous, and her defensive skills could cause problems for a potentially rusty Naomi Osaka.

However, this is a tournament which has been one that Naomi Osaka has appreciated more than Sloane Stephens in their careers and I think the former World Number 1 returns with a bang to the WTA Tour.

Marta Kostyuk - 4.5 games v Maryna Zanevska: There are likely to be plenty of emotions on court when two Ukrainian players meet in the First Round at Indian Wells and the biggest question is the hardest one to answer.

Both Marta Kostyuk and Maryna Zanevska are going to be worrying about the dangers being faced by people back at home and it can be hard to ignore those and be able to play your best tennis on the courts. Neither player has been involved in a competitive match since the Russian attack on Ukraine began and so you do have to accept that there are going to be plenty of things on the mind of the players.

Maryna Zanevska is a bit older and that maturity could make it 'easier' for her, but it is a question that cannot be answered with much conviction unless you know either of the two players.

What should not be an issue is motivation to have a big tournament and we saw Ukrainian players perform very well last week as they looked to offer support to those back home in the best way they could.

Both players have had mixed results in 2022, but there is no doubt that the upside is with Marta Kostyuk who is expected to have a big impact on the Tour in the years ahead. She is higher in the World Rankings than Maryna Zanevska and her numbers have been superior on the hard courts so far this season.

It is the second serve where Marta Kostyuk really has the edge, although she has lost both previous hard court matches against this compatriot. However, the most recent match between these two came on a clay court and Marta Kostyuk was able to get the better of Maryna Zanevska so there should be a mental edge in favour of the older player in this one.

I do think this will be a competitive match at times, but I am also expecting a bit more from Marta Kostyuk at the key moments which gives her the edge in the match. With a slightly inferior second serve and return, Maryna Zanevska could just be caught out at the back end of the sets and that could see Marta Kostyuk cover this handicap mark.

Heather Watson + 3.5 games v Tereza Martincova: Coming through the Qualifiers will give Heather Watson some confidence, although the British player has never really fulfilled the kind of potential so many believed she had. Her career best Ranking is Number 38, but these days Heather Watson has fallen out of the top 100 and that means having to work through the Qualifiers to play in the biggest events.

Winning matches at least means she is playing with some confidence, but over the last twelve months Heather Watson has a losing record on the hard courts and her numbers are average at best. Even in 2022, the British player has a 2-5 record when playing against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts, although I do think the numbers and the scores show that Heather Watson has been able to be competitive, even in those defeats.

Even the losses that have come in straight sets have been in two tight sets and that should give Watson some belief as she gets set to take on Tereza Martincova who reached her own career best World Ranking just last month.

The Czech player may not earn the same kind of headlines as some of her compatriots, but over the last twelve months Tereza Martincova has been pretty consistent on this surface. She tends to play at a higher level than Heather Watson, but Tereza Martincova may feel there is room for improvement having only compiled a 4-3 record against opponents Ranked outside the top 50 in the Rankings so far this season.

In those matches, the numbers suggest that Tereza Martincova is unlikely to blow many opponents away and that should be encouraging to the Qualifier who is facing her in the First Round.

The key to the outcome of this one will be the second serve and which of these two players is able to look after that shot the best. However, the pressure is likely to be on Heather Watson a little more with her first serve percentage some way below the mark that Tereza Martincova has reached in matches on the hard courts.

It may end up being the reason the higher Ranked player is able to move through to the Second Round, but I do have to respect how well Heather Watson has competed so far this season. Those two Qualifier wins are going to help Watson considerably with the familiarity with the conditions at Indian Wells and I think the underdog is in receipt of enough games to be worth a back on Thursday.

Kaja Juvan - 3.5 games v Oceane Dodin: I was pretty high on Oceane Dodin and the potential she had displayed on the Tour, but she has not really pushed on from the early part of her career. These days the Frenchwoman is struggling for consistency and her World Ranking is drifting in the wrong direction and Oceane Dodin will soon be having to come through the Qualifiers to play in events like this one.

She will be looking to change the momentum of the season at Indian Wells with Oceane Dodin winning just two matches since her First Round win in Sydney before the Australian Open began. Oceane Dodin entered that tournament as a Lucky Loser, but wins have been hard to find and I think that leaves her vulnerable.

This First Round match sees Oceane Dodin entering as the lower Ranked player, but Kaja Juvan has only recently overtaken her. The entry list for the Indian Wells tournament came at a time when the younger player still had to Qualifier and she has won a couple of matches to take her place in the First Round and I do think Kaja Juvan is a progressive player.

The Slovenian has won plenty of matches already in 2022, although many of them have come in Qualifiers and Kaja Juvan has yet to have a really big impact in an event one reaching the main draw. However, in saying that, this is the kind of match that Kaja Juvan would expect to face in Qualifiers and she has largely been too strong for those kind of opponents.

Since the Australian Open, Kaja Juvan has won nine matches in a row against opponents Ranked outside of the top 50 in the World. Her numbers have been extremely impressive in that run with a strong serve being backed up by a return that has seen Kaja Juvan win 50% of points played against the opponent's serve.

Kaja Juvan has dropped three sets in those nine wins, but the other matches have been won in straight-forward fashion and I do think she can put Oceane Dodin under pressure. The differing confidence with which both players are taking to the court can help Kaja Juvan too and I think she will find the tennis to eventually pull clear and cover this handicap mark on her way into the Second Round.

Christopher Eubanks-Maxime Cressy over 24.5 games: Coming through a couple of Qualifiers should make Christopher Eubanks feel a little more confident as he gets set to compete in the First Round at the Indian Wells Masters.

A player with a relatively basic game has struggled to really put together consistent results and it is only the second time in the 2022 season that Christopher Eubanks has won back to back matches.

His game is very much based around a huge serve, but Christopher Eubanks has struggled on the return and it puts a lot of pressure on him to make sure he is serving efficiently. So far this season he has held 89% of the service games played and Eubanks has won 69% of the points played behind this shot, but his return is limited.

However, I think the serve could be a big weapon against Maxime Cressy who has lost three matches in row beginning with the defeat at the Australian Open. The American is known for a serve-volley game and the gambling nature which will see Maxime Cressy serve the second serve as quickly as the first, but it helped him reach the Fourth Round at the opening Grand Slam of the season.

That run helped Maxime Cressy reach a career best World Ranking and he should hold the edge over this compatriot, especially as Cressy has held 92% of the service games played this season. He has won just shy of 70% of the points played behind serve, but like Christopher Eubanks, Maxime Cressy has struggled on the return and it could mean a long match in the First Round between two big servers.

It will be lengthy in terms of games played, but I can see both players racing through some of their service games and it may come down to a point or two either way to determine the winner of the match.

I have to give the edge to Maxime Cressy, but it may need a couple of tie-breakers to secure passage through to the Second Round and I will look for the match to surpass this total games line.

MY PICKS: Naomi Osaka - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marta Kostyuk - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Heather Watson + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Kaja Juvan - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Christopher Eubanks-Maxime Cressy Over 24.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Indian Wells Update: 0-1, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)