WTA Indian Wells: Sabalenka vs Krejcikova Tennis Prediction

TennisSection previews the 2023 WTA Indian Wells tournament as Aryna Sabalenka takes on Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka has got revenge firmly on her mind in this one. Barbora Krejcikova remains the only player to have beaten the Australian Open champion this season. So could Czech do it again at Indian Wells?

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Barbora Krejcikova Match Preview

Aryna Sabalenka has been required to play one match in the opening week to reach the fourth round of Indian Wells. Having received a first-round bye, Sabalenka thrashed Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina in straight sets in the second round, 6-2 6-0, for her 14th win of the season. However, her third-round opponent Lesia Tsurenko pulled out at the 11th hour due to what she called a panic attack in relation to the dialogue she had with WTA CEO about the current events in her homeland. That earned the Belarusian straight passage into the fourth round, setting up a Dubai rematch against Barbora Krejcikova.

Barbora Krejcikova, meanwhile, built on her six-match win streak coming to Indian Wells, by winning a pair of matches at the desert. Krejickoa shocked the tennis world by winning the WTA Dubai Championships last month, beating three top-10 players en route to the title including No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Barbora Krejcikova Prediction and Pick

Aryna Sabalenka leads Barbora Krejcikova 2-1 in their head-to-head. Krejcikova stunned the Belarusian in Dubai last month, ending Sabalenka’s 13-match winning streak. Still, we fancy the World No. 2 to emerge victorious in their latest bout. Sabalenka’s improved serve has been the tipping point to a fabulous year so far. And she was actually in total control of their Dubai quarterfinal before she dropped her guard and allowed Krejcikova a route back into the match. If she stays laser-focused here, we like the Belarusian to avenge that loss.