2021 WTA Indian Wells

[spystud]

Main draw begins tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. @Harry_Wild has a qualie thread here.

I'll spoiler the PDFs because they're big.

Spoiler

Wiki draw

Never been a real big fan of the 32 byes, but they didn't exactly ask me.

TC has exclusive coverage in the States.

 

[ScottleeSV]

No Tauson seemingly. Wonder what's happened to her?

 

[fundrazer]

Already see a few 1st rounders I like

 

[dtl_lover]

No Tauson seemingly. Wonder what's happened to her?

I think she is carrying some kind of injury.

 

[dtl_lover]

TC has exclusive coverage in the States.

I am disappointed in TC Plus. How do they not have an option to sign up for just a month? The only option they have is signing up for annual subscription which costs $110.

 

[fundrazer]

I am disappointed in TC Plus. How do they not have an option to sign up for just a month? The only option they have is signing up for annual subscription which costs $110.

Capitalism, baby!

 

[volleyandfun]

Win or lose, each 1'st round player gets $18,155 x 32 = $580,960 for WTA plus another $580,960 for ATP
More byes less matches, 64 to be exact, and I'am sure there is another $1 mil saved
Plus accommodation, transportation etc. All together these 32 byes save organizers between $2-4 mils
And very few watch 1 round matches anyway so not much lost here

 

[Kralingen]

I can't believe this version of Pliskova is actually the #1 seed at a WTA 1000. LOL

 

[spystud]

How bummin’ is Aryna? Has to stay in IW, but can’t play in a tourney she very well may have won. Oops.

 

[gogo]

No Tauson seemingly. Wonder what's happened to her?

While I don't like her personality (or is it the personality of 'her camp'?) I think Clara has considerable talent. Perhaps she is injury prone like Bianca.

(I recall her, or her people, slamming Leylah after she won the Junior French Open, saying Clara beat here in AO jr finals. Why would they do that? Why be so petty?)

Hopefully Clara will solve her injury problems and shake off negative attitudes around her. We can always benefit from seeing talented players.

 

[gogo]

This seems like an extremely wide open tournament!
I think that Emma and Leylah will disappoint after the USO hoopla. (It wouldn't be unexpected, but I hope I'm wrong.)

Who will bring their A game? I have no idea. This makes things interesting.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Halep - Raducanu 3rd R.
Pray it gets there.

 

[fundrazer]

Some latenight thoughts for 1st round matchups. (I just spent ~10 hours finishing up the code to build some report so I'm beat)

Vondrousova in 2 over Golubic. I have this locked in already. Golubic had some decent form on grass but hasn't done much on hard courts. Vondrousova has been really strong and should dominate this one. Only thing that could maybe get her into trouble is overplaying to the backhand and a poor serving day. She's had some streaky double faults.

Parrizaz Diaz to stomp Lauren Davis I think. She's been playing pretty well this summer and just recently won a title.

Martincova should stomp this junior girl.

Thinking Sasnovich in 2 over Osrio Serrano, but the h2h is 1-0 to the Colombian (match was on clay). Think Sasnovich has been playing better lately, and overall I think she will control points. Other thing for Osorio Serrano is that she's having a very hard time holding serve. Difficult to win sets or matches if you can't hold.

Anisimova probably gonna stomp.

Kanepi over Keys could be a play. Kanepi looking quite a bit better lately, but having some chokey moments. Although I think if she applies enough pressure, Keys will beat herself before Kanepi can throw points away.

Kostyuk against Zhang maybe. If Kostyuk was playing a bit better I would 100% bet her 2-0 in this one, but her loss to Kozlova in Chicago kinda brought down my confidence in her. Zhang has been pretty terrible the entire year though, so this one is still possible.

 

[spystud]

Yulia up 3-0 in second against Petko after taking the first in a breaker.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Watching Begu and Ferro in Stadium 6! Ferro is in second set but lost the 1st set! Looks like a 3rd set is coming!

 

[spystud]

Yulia is safely through.

Plenty of good seats still available.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Stephens and Watson! Both are in ugly uniform colors! Dark green with blue strip for Stephens and Watson fluorescent lime/yellow and black skirt!

 

[spystud]

Sloane better handle this one, Watson is barely relevant anymore.

 

[ScottleeSV]

Just seen a video of Raducanu practicing at Indian Wells. Looked like about 300-400 ppl (pure guess) in the stands at that one court just to watch her train. Hype train lol.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Sloane better handle this one, Watson is barely relevant anymore.

Main stadium looks like it is a closed practice session! Absolutely nobody in stands other then other tour players and coaches watching. Looks like a typical ITF Transition match.

Update: Stadium if filling up! Count around 55 people in the stadium. How many are paid spectators?

 

[Harry_Wild]

Stephen/Watson so far is a dud type of match!

 

[Harry_Wild]

Break and immediately break back! 5-5, 1set! LOL!

 

[fundrazer]

Have to wonder if the lack of so many big stars is going to hurt attendance.

Anyway...a lot of breaks so far in these matches. Not that this necessarily means anything for WTA matches, but I'm also getting the sense that the court's are playing a bit slow.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Have to wonder if the lack of so many big stars is going to hurt attendance.

This was an ad hoc Master 1000 event that just got slotted into the tournament schedule. Spectators need time to schedule it into their lives! Indian Wells has not been played in 18 months and is temporary moved from beginning March to beginning of October.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Heather Watson surrenders her advantage in the Tiebreak. 5-4 on serve.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Looks like over 100 people in the Main stadium now watching Stephens/Watson!

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Gets the mini break back with a belter of a passing shot.

Set point ...

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson takes the first set. Surprised by that.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Watson takes 1st set! Total ugly 1st set! UE by both!

 

[Harry_Wild]

Watson takes the first set. Surprised by that.

Watson is ranked 50th while Stephen is #73.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson is ranked 50th while Stephen is #73.

I realised Sloane had fallen, but not quite how much. I haven't followed the WTA much recently as you might be able to tell.

Thanks for setting me straight.

Sloane did serve for the first set, however.

 

[Rattler]

Why are the stands mostly empty? Are they not allowing fans?

really weird to see Indian Wells without fans.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Heather breaks to love to start the second set.

 

[spystud]

Why are the stands mostly empty? Are they not allowing fans?

really weird to see Indian Wells without fans.

2:00 on a Wednesday is part of it.

 

[Harry_Wild]

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/indian-wells/92210/weather-forecast/2168154
Indian Wells temperature is 92F Cloudy!

 

[mightyjeditribble]

That stadium is almost completely empty.

Quite sad that for a former GS champion playing on home soil.

 

[Rattler]

2:00 on a Wednesday is part of it.

Never seen that place that barren, even on a Wednesday in the first round

 

[Harry_Wild]

I taking break! Wait for Kanepi/Madison Keys early evening match!

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Sloane broke back and seems to be playing better now. Leads 2-1 on serve now.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson stops the rot and holds for 2-2.

 

[fundrazer]

Small bet on Ruse to beat Cornet. Over is probably a really safe choice though.

But let's see if Cornet turns into a curse for me like Riske is. (Any bet I make involving Riske in the match loses)

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson is having to work hard to hold on to her serve. Has an to save BP but holds for 3-3 in the end.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson now about to serve to stay in the second set.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson playing more aggressive here, holds serve to 15 and is now two games from winning the match.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Great really at 40-15, won by Watson. And she wins the next point too, turning what looked to be a routine hold by Stephens into a bit of a battle ...

Another game point saved by Watson too, in the ascendancy at the tail end of the second set. But Stephens finally closes out the game, and Watson will have to hold serve to force another TB.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

DF and UE not the start that Heather wants. A wild UE by Stephens offers some reprieve, but a dtl passing shot brings up two set points. Watson's serve has deserted her and a tame second serve is punished by Sloane. This is going to a decider.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Watson broken at the start of the third set, fourth have in a row to Stephens.

Five games in a row to Stephens now as I type this.

Heather looks quite spent in the heat; hard to see a way back for her. In any case, I'll be off to bed.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Never seen that place that barren, even on a Wednesday in the first round

LA Times reports the tournament expects 60% fan attendance compared to 2019. No children under 12 rule is a big dealbreaker I imagine(lots of families generally attend)

I was able to get tix to sessions a few days ago that usually sell out a month in advance in years past.

 

[spystud]

6-7, 7-5, 6-1 for Sloane.

Women.

 

[fundrazer]

Damn. My usual streams are dead. Nevermind, youtube saves the day.

Ruse and Kostyuk are both up early breaks. Although both are fighting to hold now too. Both of these could potentially be long.