BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Players To Watch
Naomi Osaka (40-1): Osaka’s record is 6-2 in 2025, but she hasn’t lost a completed match, retiring with a one-set lead against Clara Tauson in Auckland, and to Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open. Having not playing since January, she should be healthy and a factor at Indian Wells, rust notwithstanding. Osaka’s big serve and superb baseline power make her a threat whenever she’s playing on a hard court, and the slower bounces in Indian Wells should help her maneuver the baseline a little better.
Osaka has some tough potential match-ups, with Tauson possibly in the second round and Mirra Andreeva in the third. But Osaka can beat anyone when she’s healthy, and it’s only a matter of time before she lifts a big trophy again.
Sofia Kenin (80-1): Kenin will face Sloane Stephens in the first round: a fun match between two former Grand Slam champions that are trying to figure things out. But it’s Kenin much closer to doing so, and the 26-year-old played good tennis in the Middle East. In Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai, Kenin went 7-3. That includes qualifying matches, but the American also scored wins over Donna Vekic, Marta Kostyuk and Jasmine Paolini.
It feels like Kenin needs to start being taken seriously, and she has a reasonable draw in Indian Wells—I have her facing Sabalenka in the quarterfinals. We just need to see her continue to serve well, and she also needs to make sure she doesn’t cheat herself when it comes to footwork. When she’s focusing on the fundamentals, she’s very tough to beat.
