There will be some American news on Friday afternoon at Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, when Ben Shelton battles Reilly Opelka and Frances Tiafoe faces Jenson Brooksby.
(8) Ben Shelton vs. Reilly Opelka
This will be a battle of the big servers. At just under 7 feet tall, Reilly Opelka’s first serve is one of the worst in all of tennis. And the American No. 2 Ben Shelton uses the first monster combo to work on the front.
Shelton owns a 2-0 record against Opelka; both of their meetings were in 2024 on the hard court. This game can be decided entirely by tiebreakers. Historically, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden has had the slowest reputation in the CPI (Court Speed Index). This year, it’s super fast and qualifies as medium speed – meaning there’s a good chance this will be a service-fest.
Cheryl picks: Shelton at 2
Ricky pick: Shelton at 2
(21) Frances Tiafoe vs. Jenson Brooksby
Frances Tiafoe had a great run last week in Acapulco. The 21-seeded American reached the final before falling to the inspired Flavio Cobolli. Running into Jenson Brooksby right away in Indian Wells, however, is not Tiafoe’s luck
Brooksby, ranked 41st in the world, has a 3-0 record against Tiafoe – each victory coming in straight sets. This is a winnable game for Brooksby, as those numbers suggest. His style is not a traditional base game, and it’s just the kind that frustrates Tiafoe.
Cheryl chose: Brooksby at 3
Ricky pick: Brooksby at 3
