16 men’s first-round matches are scheduled on Day 1 of the ATP Indian Wells Masters. Former World No.3 Stefanos Tsitsipas will take on the dangerous Denis Shapovalov in one of the highlight matches of the day. As always, we at LWOT will offer predictions for every match on the slate. But which players will advance?

ATP Indian Wells Day 1 Predictions
Dino Prizmic vs Tristan Schoolkate

Head-to-Head: first meeting

Both these players did well to advance to the main draw, but Dino Prizmic was more impressive as he did not get broken in either of his qualifying matches. Tristan Schoolkate is looking for his first Tour-level win of the season, and he has more experience at this level on hard courts. However, I like what I have seen from Prizmic here and will back him to edge this out.
Prediction: Prizmic in 3

Quentin Halys vs Adam Walton

Head-to-Head: Halys 2-0 Walton

Quentin Halys has had a decent start to the season, winning a match in every ATP tournament he played except Dubai. However, losing in the first round in Dubai has plummeted his rankings outside the Top 100 for the first time since 2024, and he will be looking to get back on track with a win here. Adam Walton has won just a single Tour-level match this season, but his performances on U.S. soil last year suggests he will make this a close encounter.
Prediction: Halys in 3

Reilly Opelka vs Ethan Quinn

Head-to-Head: first meeting

Reilly Opelka will compete for the first time since the Australian Open and will face a tough first-round matchup against compatriot Ethan Quinn. These are not the ideal hard-court conditions for Opelka, but he will back his big serve to at least guarantee him tiebreaks. Quinn has a good serve of his own, which means whoever is clutch in pressure moments will win this tight contest. I am going with the youngster to get his first win at the Sunshine Double.
Prediction: Quinn in 3

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Denis Shapovalov

Head-to-Head: Tsitsipas 2-4 Shapovalov

Stefanos Tsitsipas has dropped out of the Top 40 for the first time since 2018 after losing in the first round in Dubai, where he was the defending champion. However, he has played some good tennis this season and will be eager to piece together some wins to prevent falling further down the rankings. Denis Shapovalov has never lost to Tsitsipas on a hard court, but the courts here are typically on the slower side, which should give Tsitsipas some more time to bring his forehand into play. However, Shapovalov still has the upper hand with his lefty serve and forehand peppering the backhand of the Greek.
Prediction: Shapovalov in 3

Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images