WTA Indian Wells predictions & tennis betting tips: Swiatek the one to beat

Free tennis tips, best bets and analysis for this week's events at WTA Indian Wells, which starts on Wednesday.

Where to watch

Live on Amazon Prime, from 7pm Wednesday

Best bet

Iga Swiatek
2pts 8-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Tournament preview

The withdrawal of world number one Ashleigh Barty has taken some of the shine off this year's WTA Indian Wells, although her absence has made for a more competitive betting heat.

Barty secured her third Grand Slam title in her homeland at the Australian Open in January and would have been a warm order to follow up with another title win in California.

The Aussie’s absence gives plenty a chance but the credentials of the woman who has replaced her as tournament favourite, Iga Swiatek, are difficult to ignore.

Not only has the Pole started the season in blistering form, but she heads to the States refreshed after a ten-day break and has also landed on the opposite half of the draw to the majority of her main title rivals.

When last in action at the end of February, Swiatek took apart a deep field at the Qatar Open in Doha, winning all of her six matches in straight sets despite facing three players who also find themselves as a top-six seed for this event.

The 20-year-old brushed aside Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 6-3 in her quarter-final, outclassed Maria Sakkari 6-4 6-3 in the last four and lost just two games in a one-sided final against Estonia's Anett Kontaveit.

Given the hard courts of California are expected to play similarly slow and heavy as they did in Doha, Swiatek, who also made the semi-finals of the Australian Open, is the one they all have to beat.

Six of the next seven players in the betting find themselves competing away from Swiatek in the bottom half of the draw, which only enhances her claims as market leader.

The third seed receives a first-round bye and it is tough to see where she slips up early, while the fellow seeds in her half of the draw are either out of form or lacking consistency.

That is not the case in a star-studded third quarter, which looks best left alone as it features defending champion Paula Badosa, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and two of this season’s class acts, Kontaveit and Jelena Ostapenko.

Throw rising star Leylah Fernandez and resurgent Americans Sloane Stephens, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula into the mix and it is a section full of risk for punters.

While those title contenders exert plenty of energy, Swiatek should be able to make light work of her favourable draw.

Sakkari, Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur, last year's runner-up Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova are just some of the other players the Pole will avoid until at least the final.

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