American Taylor Fritz will face both compatriot Ben Shelton or Italian Fabio Fognini as he begins his title protection at Indian Wells this week, with top-ranked Iga Swiatek going through a possible third-round showdown with 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu .
Fritz battled by means of excruciating ache to finish Rafa Nadal’s 20-match successful streak to say his first Masters 1000 championship final 12 months and can hope for one more story-book end when the principle draw is introduced on Monday .
Facing a weak males’s subject, Fritz may face Holger Rune of Denmark within the quarter-finals. Seventh seed Rooney additionally received his first Masters title final 12 months when he beat 22-time main winner Novak Djokovic in Paris.
Red-hot Daniil Medvedev, who received his third straight title in Dubai this month, is on a collision course to tackle third-seeded Norwegian Kasper Ruud within the final eight, whereas Spain’s high seed Carlos Alcaraz takes on Canada’s Felix Auger- May battle with Aliasim. quarters.
World primary Djokovic pulled out of the match on Sunday and Nadal, who aggravated a hip downside following his second spherical loss on the Australian Open and has not performed since, additionally pulled out.
Inga Swiatek of Poland reacts after lacking a ball in opposition to Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic throughout their closing match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, February 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Kamran Jabreli)
On the ladies’s aspect, Swiatek seems like she might have little bother capturing a second straight title within the Southern California desert after cruising to victory amid a blockbuster unbeaten streak a 12 months in the past.
She may meet WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia within the quarter-finals after beginning her marketing campaign in opposition to American Claire Liu or Belgian Alison van Uytvank, with Canadian Andreescu additionally having fun with a first-round bye.
With her first Grand Slam win in Australia, second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face both Elise Cornet or Evgenia Rodina to start out the match.
The 2021 French Open winner has an opportunity for a little bit of revenge in opposition to potential fourth-round foe Barbora Krejcikova after ending her 13-match successful streak in Dubai final month.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
