Indian Wells 2024: Last dance for Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal? Iga Swiatek eyes glory and more storylines
Indian Wells is here.
One of the biggest non-Grand Slam tournaments of the season, the combined ATP-WTA 1000 event will run from March 6 to March 17.
It will feature almost all of the top stars from both tours, including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff.
Who are the players to watch, what are the top takeaways from the draw, what are the big talking points? We run through everything you need to know ahead of Indian Wells…
Djokovic makes Indian Wells return
Five years after his last appearance at Indian Wells, Novak Djokovic is back.
The five-time champion has been unable to travel to the USA for the last few years due to being unvaccinated against Covid, so has missed out on playing the Sunshine Double. He returns with a few things on his mind.
There’s the chance to win a record-extending 41st Masters title and the opportunity to open up a significant lead at the top of the world rankings as he has no points to defend over the next month. He will also be looking to show he remains the best around after being dispatched by Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semis in his last match.
Last dance for Murray and Nadal?
This could well be the last time that Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray play Indian Wells.
Nadal has said that this might be his final season on tour as he battles injuries and Murray has recently said he is unlikely to play the beyond the summer. Nadal has a great history at Indian Wells, which has been his second-most successful hard-court Masters event behind the Canadian Open, and made the final on his last appearance in 2022. Murray has not had as much success and it is one of only two Masters tournaments along with Monte Carlo that he hasn’t won.
It seems unlikely that either will challenge for the title this month – Nadal has said his priority is getting through “unscathed” while Murray has only won two matches this year – but both have blockbuster early matches; Nadal v Milos Raonic and then potentially v Holger Rune, and Murray potentially v Andrey Rublev in round two.
Sinner looks to keep winning
The last time Jannik Sinner lost a match was in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals.
He’s 12 for 12 this year, winning the Australian Open and then following up with success in Rotterdam. Described as “the big one right now” in men’s tennis by Daniil Medvedev, Sinner has certainly been playing the best tennis of anyone on the ATP Tour this year and if continues to play at the level he did in Melbourne he should be the favourite for the title.
Alcaraz aims for return to best
Carlos Alcaraz’s preparation for Indian Wells has not been ideal.
After a flat showing in the Australian Open quarter-finals he was beaten in the Buenos Aires semis by Nicolas Jarry, and then in Rio he had to withdraw just two games into his first match after injuring his ankle.
The ankle looked to be fine during an exhibition in Las Vegas with Rafael Nadal, but how will it hold up with back-to-back Masters events? And will it limit his explosive shot-making skills?
Is Draper best of the Brits?
It was Indian Wells in 2021 where Cameron Norrie won the first Masters title of his career. He has followed that up with two quarter-final runs at the tournament over the last two years and a repeat showing would see the British No. 1 hit 200 career wins.
British No. 2 Dan Evans is also targeting a landmark of 150 wins – he needs two to reach that total – but the biggest British threat could be Jack Draper.
Draper showed again what a talented player he is by reaching the Mexican Open semis without dropping a set. He took a set off eventual winner Alex de Minaur before having to retire from their semi-final due to illness. Described by De Minaur as a “hell of a player, a hell of a talent”, Draper has the game and form to make a run at Indian Wells.
WTA ‘Big Four’ set to do battle
This time last year there was talk about a ‘Big Three’ on the WTA Tour, now it’s a ‘Big Four’ of Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff.
The four have won seven of the last eight Grand Slam titles and have shared all of the big titles so far this season, aside from Dubai.
It’s difficult to know which of the four starts as favourite. Sabalenka was ridiculously good in winning the Australian Open but then lost on her return in Dubai to Donna Vekic. Swiatek was brilliant in February after losing early in Melbourne, while Rybakina has the most match wins (17) on the WTA Tour this season. Gauff hasn’t been quite at the level of the other three in 2024 but made the Australian Open semis and looks to have quite a kind draw at Indian Wells.
It’s hard to imagine that at least one of them won’t be in contention for the title on March 17.
Swiatek out to avoid Australian Open repeat
If Swiatek does make the final she will have done it the hard way.
The world No. 1 has been handed a repeat of her Australian Open draw as she could open against Danielle Collins, who she beat in three sets in Melbourne, and might then face Linda Noskova, who pulled off an upset win over Swiatek just six weeks ago.
A couple of big-hitters could await if Swiatek gets further, with Jelena Ostapenko a potential quarter-final opponent and defending champion Elena Rybakina the seeded opponent in the semis.
Swiatek was excellent in February as she bounced back impressively from her early Australian Open exit and she will need to hit top gear from the start at Indian Wells.
Sabalenka lands in loaded quarter
Sabalenka looked simply unstoppable at the Australian Open at the start of the year and if she hits that level again she will be a very tough opponent for anyone.
However, she is in an intriguing part of the draw.
Along with world No. 2 Sabalenka in the bottom quarter are fifth seed Jessica Pegula, ninth seed Maria Sakkari, 16th seed Elina Svitolina, and 30th seed Yastremska.
Sabalenka has the power to blow any of those off the court, but Pegula might have something fresh with a new coaching team and Sakkari has a new coach and a solid record at Indian Wells, where she has made the final and semis in the last two years. Svitolina could also be a difficult opponent.
Having played just one match since winning the Australian Open, Sabalenka might have to hit the ground running at Indian Wells.
Boulter leads Brits after San Diego win
Katie Boulter had the best week of her career in San Diego as she beat five top-50 players to win the title. Now up to No. 27 in the world rankings, Boulter is playing some of the most exciting tennis of her career and has the chance for another breakthrough run in Indian Wells. She has, though, been handed a tricky draw as she is unseeded. She opens against Camila Giorgi and could then meet 26th seed Noskova, followed by world No. 1 Swiatek in the third round.
Wild card Emma Raducanu opens against a qualifier before potentially meeting 30th seed Dayana Yastremska in the second round and then world No. 2 Sabalenka in round three.
Osaka looks to keep building
Naomi Osaka’s comeback picked up a bit of pace in Doha as she beat Caroline Garcia and Petra Martic on her way to the quarter-finals, where she was edged out by Karolina Pliskova in a tight contest.
Osaka, who gave birth to her daughter Shai last summer, looked to be finding some form after losing three of her first four matches of the season. The former world No. 1 opens up against a qualifier and then could face Coco Gauff in the quarters.
Two other mums, Caroline Wozniacki, who came out of retirement last summer after giving birth to two children, and Angelique Kerber, who gave birth last February, are also in the main draw.
Is this Williams’ Indian Wells farewell?
While Nadal and Murray have seemingly signalled their intentions to hang up their racquets pretty soon, nobody quite knows when Venus Williams is going to retire.
The 43-year-old said recently that she was told by younger sister Serena that she is “not allowed to quit” – and she will be back at Indian Wells for the first time since 2019 after getting a wild card.
Williams, who is set to face a qualifier in the first round, hasn’t played since the US Open due to injuries. She is also planning to play the Miami Open.
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