Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev have arrived from Dubai and will start in Indian Wells in the second round on Friday. They face Joao Fonseca and Gabriel Diallo, respectively.
(16) Karen Khachanov vs. João Fonseca
Finally, Fonseca seems to be playing with some confidence. He won the MGM Slam tournament by 10 points in Las Vegas this past weekend – which may not be a big deal, but a win is a win. More importantly, the 19-year-old demolished in-form Raphael Collignon 7-6(2), 6-4 in a top-level tournament on Wednesday night at the BNP Paribas Open.
Next up for Fonseca on Friday is a second match against Khachanov, who won their first match 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 at the 2025 Paris Masters. Actually, that was a good effort by the Brazilian because he had just won the Basel title last week. This time around, an element of fatigue may have Khachanov. Just arriving in Indian Wells was the Russian circus, which was temporarily stuck in Dubai during the war in the Middle East. Khachanov and others arrived in the desert on Wednesday afternoon, but – needless to say – these are not ideal preparations for the first Masters 1000 event of the year. With Fonseca back in form, a minor upset is more likely.
Pick: Fonseca at 3
(17) Andrey Rublev vs. Gabriel Diallo
Rublev found himself in the same situation as Khachanov after playing well in the Middle East, advancing to the semifinals in Doha and Dubai. Fortunately for the world No. 17, he has an excellent opening game on his hands. Diallo has been very cold, with a 1-6 record in his last seven appearances heading into Indian Wells. His only win during that time was over world No. 292 Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida in the final tiebreaker match. The 38th-ranked Canadian did well to beat Mattia Bellucci on Wednesday, but that does not guarantee his 2025 form is back.
Based on his recent results, Rublev – even if his preparation was wrong – is more than capable of harassing a vulnerable opponent. Confidence has returned to the Russian player and he has lost his first game in this tournament in the last six games. This should be one-way traffic.
Select: Rublev in 2
