In my first preview this week, I neglected to mention this year’s Indian Wells surfaces have been resurfaced to Laykold (theoretically to make things quicken up a bit).
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 1000
Indian Wells Open
Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Round of 64 Matches- 7th March
Qinwen Zheng (8) vs Victoria Azarenka
In my first preview this week, I neglected to mention this year’s Indian Wells surfaces have been resurfaced to Laykold (theoretically to make things quicken up a bit). Reactions have been mixed thus far, with Daniil Medvedev even claiming that the courts seem slower. I would say the courts will probably quicken up a bit as the tournament progresses. Qinwen Zheng will be hoping that a new surface means new fortunes. The Chinese superstar enjoyed a banner 2024 campaign, reaching a maiden Grand Slam final and winning the coveted Olympic Gold Medal in singles (not to mention she finished runner-up at the WTA Finals). But she is currently 1-3 for the season, bringing a three-match losing streak into this event. She apparently suffered bad calf cramps during her Dubai loss to Peyton Stearns. She has a boom-or-bust serve that can become unreliable in tight situations. She is vulnerable off that backhand wing and her combative attitude can be a bit of a distraction. She has never gone beyond the 2nd round here and will be hoping that the new surfaces are more receptive to her big serve, big forehand style.
35-year-old veteran Victoria Azarenka is certainly in the twilight of what has been a glorious career. She had a poor start to this campaign, winning just two of her first six matches. This week she received a favourable first-round draw against the inexperienced American Clervie Ngounoue. She was workmanlike in her opener, flattening out her groundstrokes en route to a tight straight-sets win. Azarenka is a player who just has the innate ability to elevate her game for the big occasion (just think of that 2019 run to the US Open final). She loves this time of the year and has enjoyed huge success during both legs of the ‘Sunshine Double’. She won this event in 2012 and 2016 (also finishing runner-up as recently as 2021). She had a poor 2024 season but still managed to show up during this portion of the season, reaching the semifinals in Miami (an event she has won three times). Azarenka isn’t the hardcourt player she once was but may feel some encouragement if the courts are that little bit quicker.
The Verdict: Azarenka to win in straight sets at – Azarenka leads the head-to-head 2-0, winning their most recent meeting in straight sets at last year’s Miami Open. The Belarusian seems to know what it takes to defeat the Chinese star. Azarenka likes to be aggressive and flatten out her groundstrokes. But she can also counterpunch effectively and will probably be inclined to use that tactic against an out-of-form, error-prone Zheng. Azarenka just need to keep those double-faults down (she has served 21 double faults in her last three matches).
