Former champion Bianca Andreescu returns to the WTA 1000 in Indian Wells for the first time in three years. The Canadian faces a tricky opening match against qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova as she chases her first Tour-level win of the season. Who will advance?

WTA Indian Wells Day 1 Predictions
Caty McNally vs Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva

Head-to-head: first meeting

Fresh from becoming Andorra’s first-ever Top 100 singles player, Jimenez Kasintseva successfully qualified for the main draw on her Indian Wells debut. The 20-year-old overpowered Katie Boulter in three sets in the final round of qualifying. Seven of her 12 matches this season have gone to a deciding set, and she’s won five of them. Her top record in long matches could put pressure on McNally to close this out in straight sets. The American has not won a completed main draw match in this tournament and faces an in-form Jimenez Kasintseva, whose defensive depth suits this surface.
Prediction: Jimenez Kasintseva in 2

Jaqueline Cristian vs Janice Tjen

Head-to-head: first meeting

Last year, Cristian won two rounds in this tournament against all the odds. She beat Veronika Kudermetova and Leylah Fernandez. She faces an uphill task to repeat that run with a second-round meeting against the highly talented Maya Joint looming large. But this opening match should favor the Romanian. Janice Tjen was flying at this time last season, but the Indonesian’s results at the start of the current campaign have been mixed.
Prediction: Cristian in 3

Anna Blinkova vs Dalma Galfi

Head-to-head: Blinkova 1-1 Galfi

Galfi enters the main draw as a lucky loser for the second time in her career. And it could be a good omen. The last time she was a lucky loser in this event, she beat Danielle Collins in the first round. Anna Blinkova remains winless in 2026. Since bagging her third career title in Jiujiang at the end of last season, the Russian has not won a single set in all five matches this year. That slump is hugely concerning.
Prediction: Galfi in 2 

Bianca Andreescu vs Kamilla Rakhimova

Head-to-head: first meeting

Andreescu was slowly building rhythm in the lower-tier events and did spectacularly well, winning a couple of ITF titles. But her first outing at the Tour-level suggested there will be plenty of work to be done against the top 100 players. While her name carries weight (former Indian Wells champion), there is still some rust in extended rallies and on serve.
Prediction: Rakhimova in 3

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