An Un-Bee-lievable Week In Tennis Paradise: Tennis Insights

Sunshine and Surprises!

Week 2 at Indian Wells came with a mix of magic and madness.

We saw enormous upsets, the most prominent being Novak Djokovic’s loss to Luca Nardi. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz returned to his very best with big wins over Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner. It was one of the most dramatic weeks we've seen in tennis but we've put together a quick summary for you.

New Videos‼ 

We dropped 2 NEW videos last week; A recap of the first week in Indian Wells and a deep dive into Taylor Fritz’s tennis. Check them out here.

Meanwhile, you can expect our special recap of the second week on Monday and more deep dives over the course of the week. Stay tuned.

What Happened Last Week

ATP

Carlos Alcaraz held on to his #2 spot in the ranking by being the first man to defeat Jannik Sinner this year in their semi final encounter in Tennis Paradise. Alcaraz faces Daniil Medvedev in the final in what is a rematch of last year’s final in this same tournament. Daniil had to come back from a set down to beat an inspired Tommy Paul in their semifinal clash. Who are you rooting for?

WTA

Iga Swiatek is up against a resurgent Maria Sakkari in the final.

Iga has been flawless all week and has not lost more than 4 games to any opponent, let alone lose a single set all tournament. On the other hand, Maria Sakkari is enjoying life under her new coach but has had the tougher route, needing to go through some strong opponents in Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro, Diane Parry, and Caroline Garcia.

The Biggest Movers Of The Week 

ATP

WTA

Major Tournament Updates

Miami Open (March 19 - March 31)

The Miami Open is upon us and we are less than 3 days away from the second Masters 1000 of the year.

ATP

Unfortunately, Novak Djokovic won’t be playing in Miami. The Serbian stressed the need for him to maintain his private and professional schedule as he looks to break the negative cycle of his losses this year by switching his focus to clay.

Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, and Milos Raonic are other big names to withdraw from the tournament. The Miami Open draw for the ATP will be made on Monday, 18 March at 1 p.m.

WTA

Last year, Petra Kvitova defeated Elena Rybakina 7-6(14), 6-2, stopping Rybakina from sweeping the Sunshine Double. Kvitova is currently on maternity leave and will not defend her title. This year, Miami has awarded wild cards to former No.1s Simona Halep, Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki, as well as Emma Raducanu. Meanwhile, former No.1s Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber, who are both returning from maternity leave, earned direct entry using their special rankings. The draw ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 17 at 1 p.m.

Watch Out For This Player

Jiří Lehečka

After seeing the Czech take down Andrey Rublev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in one week, we are compelled to keep an eye on him. The 22-year-old won his maiden ATP title January this year at the Adelaide International, breaking into the Top 25. Lehecka has the firepower to take the racquet out of anyone’s hand and once he starts becoming more consistent, we see him being a threat to even the most elite players.

HOT TAKE

Casper Ruud will win a slam. While it may not look like it at the moment, we reckon that outside of the remaining members of the Big 3 and Alcaraz, he is one of the strongest contenders for the French Open. Having made back-to-back Roland Garros finals in 2022 and 2023, Ruud will have his opportunities.

Off The Court

A New Dad On Tour

Lorenzo Musetti and his girlfriend, Veronica, welcomed their baby and we now have a new dad on tour.

The Hero Bee Expert Gives Lessons

After saving the day in Alcaraz’s quarterfinal match against Sascha, beekeeper Lance Davis explained to us how he was able to deal with the situation

.ATP Tour Extends Global Partnership with Haier

Haier will continue as Official Home Appliances Partner and Gold Partner of the ATP Tour

Trivia of the Week

Although only 2 American men have won the Indian Wells title this century - Andre Agassi in 2001 and Taylor Fritz in 2022, there was a 7-year period where Americans had a stranglehold on the event.

Highlights of the Week

1.  Point of the tournament?

2. Clutch Daniil

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3. An Outrageous Lob

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Until next time, keep swinging.

For The Love of Tennis