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February was all about amount on the tennis calendar. March, alternatively, is all about high quality. Going from one month to the following marks an enormous change on the schedule. In February, there have been ATP 250s and 500s left and proper each single week. In March, there are only a pair of Masters 1000s in Indian Wells and Miami. The Sunshine Double on American exhausting courts begins this fortnight with the BNP Paribas Open, the place Carlos Alcaraz is the No. 1 seed. He’s additionally a two-time winner (2023 and 2024). Second seed Jannik Sinner is again within the desert following his 2025 suspension and is searching for his first IW trophy. Here’s a breakdown of the upcoming festivities in “Tennis Paradise.”
BNP Paribas Open
The place: Palm Springs, California Prize cash: $9,415,725Top seed: Carlos AlcarazDefending champion: Jack Draper
After the sector of 96 was revealed, one of many potential semifinal matchups is Alcaraz vs. Novak Djokovic. It’s a comparatively tough draw throughout for Alcaraz, who will start his Masters 1000 event in opposition to both Grigor Dimitrov or Terence Atmane. Casper Ruud is a possible fourth-round opponent, whereas Alex de Minaur and Alexander Bublik can be quarterfinal foes for the top-ranked Spaniard.
As for Djokovic, he might run into two huge servers in his first two matches — Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard within the second spherical and Hubert Hurkacz within the third. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is on a collision course 4 the spherical of 16 with defending Indian Wells champion Jack Draper. Having missed a lot time, although, Draper is rusty. The Brit will in all probability be challenged within the third spherical by Francisco Cerundolo on a tough courtroom that’s conducive to gamers who’re comfy on clay. Daniil Medvedev can be in Djokovic’s part of the draw…however Medvedev can be at the moment in Dubai. With airspace closed within the area, Medvedev — the Dubai champ — could not get out in time for Indian Wells.
On the backside of the bracket, Sinner might go up in opposition to both Stefanos Tsitsipas or Denis Shapovalov in spherical three. Tsitsipas vs. Shapovalov is an intriguing first-round battle. Sinner might then meet Tommy Paul within the final 16 and Ben Shelton within the quarters. Alexander Zverev’s path would possibly characteristic both Acapulco champion Flavio Cobolli or Acapulco runner-up Frances Tiafoe within the fourth spherical. Lorenzo Musetti, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Andrey Rublev are potential QF opponents for Zverev, however Rublev finds himself in the identical Dubai predicament as Medvedev.
Along with Tsitsipas vs. Shapovalov and Dimitrov vs. Atmane, different first-round showdowns to observe are Alejandro Tabilo vs. Rafael Jodar, Joao Fonseca vs. Raphael Collignon, Matteo Berrettini vs. Adrian Mannarino, Alexei Popyrin vs. Jenson Brooksby, and Reilly Opelka vs. Ethan Quinn.
Quarterfinal picks: Carlos Alcaraz over Luciano Darderi, Taylor Fritz over Francisco Cerundolo, Alexander Zverev over Arthur Fils, and Jannik Sinner over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Semifinals: Alcaraz over Fritz and Sinner over Zverev
Ultimate: Alcaraz over Sinner
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and in addition maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
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