Sorana Cirstea vs Caroline Garcia Prediction & Betting Tips - WTA Indian Wells

Prediction published on 14/03/2023, 10:04  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 14/03/2023 at 11:41 in Tennis Predictions

Fifth seeded Caroline Garcia has to get past unseeded Sorana Cirstea to reach the Indian Wells quarter finals. The winner will take on either top seeded Iga Swiatek or Emma Raducanu in the last eight. Garcia was fifth in the rankings when this tournament began. Now the French player is  fourth in the live rankings (equalling her career high) and ninth in the Live WTA Race. Garcia has reached two finals this year in Lyon and Monterrey. In both events she was the top seed but ended up being runner-up. This tournament has seen Garcia get wins over lucky loser Dalmi Galfi (losing the middle set) and needing three sets (again middle set lost) to defeat 30th seeded Leylah Fernandez. That losing the second set has also featured in both of her previous matches against Cirstea. Both took Garcia three sets to get the win but their last meeting was four years ago and that was on clay not a hard court.

Sorana Cirstea was 83rd in the world when this Indian Wells tournament began. The Romanian is down three places in the live rankings as she's defending the points won when getting to the fourth round here in 2022. In the Live WTA Race, Cirstea has risen 20 places to 53rd after her three wins this week. Victories have come over qualifier Kimberly Birrell, 19th seeded Madison Keys (her opponent retired after losing the first set) and unseeded Bernarda Pera, for the loss of only four games. This is only her second last 16 appearance of the year. Before this tournament, Cirstea had only won one of her last six matches. Back Garcia to get the win.