Indian Wells continues to produce high-quality tennis and the action continues Friday!
I’ve found value on two of Friday's matchups – Alexandrova vs Putintseva and Jabeur vs Volynets.
Read on to find Indian Wells picks for Friday, March 8.
Note: Match times are subject to change. Read here for tips on viewing tennis matches and seeing tennis odds.
Indian Wells Odds, Picks, Predictions
Ekaterina Alexandrova (-250) vs Yulia Putintseva (+190)
2 p.m. ET
Ekaterina Alexandrova most recently lost in her opening match of Dubai (hard), falling 6-7(2), 3-6 to Magdalena Frech. Alexandrova won 53% of her service points, including just 24% on her second serve, getting broken three times. The Russian also won just 34% of her return points, breaking twice.
Alexandrova is 8-6 on hard courts this season, with a WTA final in Linz. For her career, Alexandrova is 216-131 on hard, but she has never reached the fourth round of Indian Wells. The Russian has a huge first serve and plays power tennis from the baseline, hitting confidently with her forehand. Alexandrova positions herself in offensive areas of the court and takes time away from her opponents.
However, Alexandrova's consistency is suspect, particularly on her backhand wing, her second serve sits up in the box and she lacks variety.
Yulia Putintseva beat Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the second round. Putintseva won 68% of her service points and was only broken once. In addition, the Kazakh won 51% of her return points, breaking on five occasions.
Putintseva has a 7-7 record on hard courts in 2024, but she is a solid 247-207 on the surface as a professional. Like Alexandrova, Putintseva has also never been to the fourth round at Indian Wells. However, the conditions should suit her game more. Putintseva has a heavy forehand that she uses to spread the court and she gets consistent depth. The Kazakh is quick, anticipates effectively and counterpunches at a high level.
While Putintseva lacks power, she makes up for it in fitness and physicality.
The conditions favor Putintseva here. Putintseva doesn't mind the high-bouncing slow conditions as her game is centered around consistency, fitness and working her heavy forehand around the court.
Between the slow conditions and Putintseva's defense, Alexandrova should find it difficult to impose herself and hit through the Kazakh from the ground. Putintseva should be able to keep points alive, use her tennis IQ to target Alexandrova's weaker backhand and wear down the Russian.
And Alexandrova's second-serve performance against Frech was brutal.
Pick: Putintseva +1.5 sets (-135 via BetMGM)
Ons Jabeur (-245) vs Katie Volynets (+198)
9 p.m. ET
Ons Jabeur last competed in Doha, falling 3-6, 2-6 to Lesia Tsurenko. Jabeur won 70% of her first serves, but just 31% of her second serves, getting broken four times. The Tunisian also won just 35% of her return points, breaking once.
Jabeur, who has struggled with a knee ailment, is just 2-3 on hard this year. As a professional, Jabeur is 237-156 on hard, reaching the semifinals of Indian Wells in 2021, although she experienced less success the past two seasons. Jabeur has a well-placed first serve and a powerful, precise forehand. The Tunisian's variety is superb, whether it be her drop shots, touch shots or cutting backhand slice.
With that said, Jabeur has struggled with her health recently and, along with a decreased rally tolerance in 2024, the physical Indian Wells conditions are worrisome. This is especially the case, given that Jabeur's fitness is always suspect. Her backhand slice should also be less effective, as well.
Katie Volynets defeated Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 7-5 in the first round. Volynets won just 52% of her service points, getting broken on four occasions. The American did win 50% of her return points, breaking six times.
Volynets' record on hard in 2024 is 12-5, with a 112-78 record for her career. Volynets will look to make her first-career Indian Wells third round with a win here. Volynets doesn't have much power, but she has incredible foot speed and defensive skills, counterpunching effectively, as well. The American anticipates effectively and has a high tennis IQ, understanding successful shot selection.
Jabeur has not played well this season, lacking consistency and physicality, along with struggling to control her aggressive groundstrokes.
And, the Indian Wells conditions can exacerbate these issues, especially facing a player like Volynets. The American should be able to defend well, extending rallies and testing Jabeur's physicality and rally tolerance.
Jabeur should struggle to put points away and her backhand slice, a key part of her game, should be less effective on this high-bouncing surface.
Volynets has the precision and tennis IQ to get the ball onto Jabeur's weaker backhand wing, as well.
Pick: Volynets to win a set (-140 via FanDuel)
