Indian Wells: Kanepi vs Sasnovich Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 WTA BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells as Kaia Kanepi takes on Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the first round on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

Two renowned giant killers are set to clash in the first round of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Will it be Kaia Kanepi who gets the better of Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich for the second time this season? Or will Sasnovich exact revenge on the Adelaide defeat?

Kaia Kanepi vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich Match Preview

Kaia Kanepi has only won three matches this year. Since the Australian Open she played one tournament, in Dubai, and won just three games in a crushing loss to 91st-ranked Viktoriya Tomova. In fact, Kanepi has been losing quite heavily this year, including a bagel set and a few 6-1 sets. So Aliasandra Sasnovich might sense some vulnerability in the Estonian’s game here when the pair clash at Indian Wells on Wednesday.

Aliaksandra Sasnovic hasn’t fared any better. The Belarusian also has three wins under her belt although it could be argued Sasnovich has faced tougher opposition including Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff. Sasnovich has been to the fourth round at Indian Wells before, beating Emma Raducanu and Simona Halep at the 2021 edition. The 28-year-old has fond memories of this tournament, so could she emulate that feat this time?

Kaia Kanepi vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich Prediction and Pick

Kaia Kanepi and Aliaksandra Sasnovich are tied at 1-1 in their head-to-head. Kanepi won their only tour-level meeting earlier this year in Adelaide in three sets. It’s been over two weeks since both players struck a tennis ball, so we might not see high-quality tennis here. Sasnovich loves these conditions as she has a lot of time and room to grind and win points. Kanepi’s game might not be as effective as on quicker courts, which is why we are leaning towards the Belarusian to make the second round of Indian Wells.