Three to See, Indian Wells Day 1: Kanepi vs. Montgomery; Yastremska vs. Garcia; Kenin vs. Haddad Maia
Before each day's play at the BNP Paribas Open, we'll preview three must-see matches.
WATCH: Haddad Maia meets Fernandez in Monterrey semis
Kaia Kanepi vs. Robin Montgomery
Sometimes it seems as if all Kanepi does is play, and play well at, Grand Slams. After dipping down close to the 100 mark in the rankings in 2020, the 36-year-old reached the quarters at the Australian Open in January. Can she keep that level up even outside of a major? She’ll face a very young but promising 17-year-old lefty in Montgomery, who swept the US Open girls’ singles and doubles titles last fall. But the American tennis will likely see and feel a whole different level of pace from Kanepi’s racquet. She might as well start getting used to it now. Winner: Kanepi
Dayana Yastremska vs. Caroline Garcia
“I’m fighting for my country,” Yastremska, an Odessa native, said last week during her run to the final in Lyon. Will she be able to put what’s happening there, and the fact that her parents are still in Ukraine, out of her mind again? Yastremska is 2-0 against Garcia, and she has more to play for than she did in either of those matches. Winner: Yastremska
Sofia Kenin vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia
To say that Kenin can use a win is to put it rather mildly. The former Australian Open champion and Roland Garros runner-up has lost her last five matches, and her ranking is down to an unthinkable 130th. A California hard court and a friendly American crowd would seem to be just the things to give Kenin a boost, but her opponent may not be. Kenin is 0-2 against Haddad Maia. Winner: Haddad Maia