Emma Raducanu vs Aryna Sabalenka Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Indian Wells

Prediction published on 11/03/2024, 05:18  by Daniel Ngulu in Tennis Predictions

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka and the wildcard Emma Raducanu will play each other next at Indian Wells. The two will battle in the third round with the winner battling either Elina Svitolina or Emma Navarro next. Emma Raducanu has had a good amount of time to prepare for this match as her last fixture ended prematurely. Dayana Yastremska was forced to retire from her second-round tie with Raducanu in the first set. Raducanu had already taken a 4-0 lead before the conclusion of the match. The win was Raducanu’s fifth of the season. The Briton, who is slowly regaining her form after missing almost all of last season with injury, has compiled a 5-4 record. She arrived for her fourth appearance at this event while on a losing record. In every year she has played here, Raducanu has finished one round higher than the previous campaign. Last season she produced a fourth-round finish. The former world number 10 is down 37 places to 287th in the live ranking.

Aryna Sabalenka is back in Coachella after a five-year hiatus. The last time the current world number two played here, she won the tournament. This was in 2019 which was only her second appearance in the event and she will hope for a triumphant return. Considering how dominant he has been this season, the Belarussian is a huge favourite for the title. Sabaleka has been the most in-form player this season and has won 12 of 14 matches. She defended her Australian Open title and also finished as runner-up in Brisbane. Sabalenka did however look shaky in her tournament opener against the unseeded Peyton Stearns. The tie lasted for two hours and 53 minutes and saw Sabalenka come from a set down to win. Tiebreakers were played in the first and last sets in what was Sabalenka’s toughest duel of the season. The 25-year-old had breezed past her opponents with her first 11 wins coming via straight sets.