Indian Wells men's draw: When do Kyrgios, De Minaur, Federer and the top seeds play?

Lucie Bertoldo

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Indian Wells men's draw: When do Kyrgios, De Minaur, Federer and the top seeds play? image

Unofficially known as tennis' fifth Grand Slam, the world's best players are set to return to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden to compete for the BNP Paribas Open title.

Recognised as "Tournament of the Year" by the ATP and WTA for the fifth consecutive season, the Masters 1000 tournament is the largest event on the tennis calendar outside the four majors.

Novak Djokovic will headline the 96 top-ranked men's players in the singles draw.

However, Juan Del Potro won't defend Indian Wells title due to a knee injury. The world No.5 saved three championship points to upstage Roger Federer for his maiden Masters 1000 crown in 2018.

INDIAN WELLS WOMEN'S DRAW:  When do Ash Barty, Serena Williams and the top seeds play?

Sporting News Australia has all the main talking points for the men's draw at the BNP Paribas Open.

WHICH AUSTRALIANS ARE PLAYING?

Seven Australian men have qualified to compete for the Indian Wells title with Alex de Minaur leading the charge.

The 20-year-old will enter the tournament as No.23 seed and and joins Nick Kyrgios, John Millman, Matt Ebden, Jordan Thompson, Alex Bolt and Alexei Popyrin in California.

Bolt and Popyrin both won their final-round qualifying matches in straight sets to earn a place in the main draw. The latter became the first qualifier through to the main draw due to his 7-5 6-3 victory over Lukas Rosol.

After reaching the third round of the Australian Open, 26-year-old Bolt will take on the Masters 1000 after defeating Christopher Eubanks in two tiebreaks. 


Their first round matches are yet to be determined. Bolt and Popyrin aside, all other five Australians will play in the top half of the draw.

World no.42 Millman will play Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in round one, with 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov awaiting in the second. The winner of that match will most likely go on to face Alex Zverev in the third.

Ebden will open his Indian Wells campaign against Ivo Karlovic for a chance to upset 11th seed Borna Coric in round two. Thompson takes on Federico Delbonis in the first-round, with the winner to meet seventh seed Dominic Thiem.

ALEX DE MINAUR

Alex De Minaur

Alex de Minaur will head into the Paribas Open as Australia's highest seed at No.23 and receives a bye in the opening round.

With at ticket straight to the second round, the 20-year-old will meet either Jeremy Chardy or a qualifier.

The Australian joins Novak Djokovic, Alex Zverev and Dominic Thiem in the top half of the draw.

Should the Demon reach the round-of-32, he could face 13th seed Milos Raonic for a place in the finals.The winner of that match has the potential to meet Kevin Anderson or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarters.

ROUND ONE: Bye.

ROUND TWO: Jeremy Chardy or a qualifier.

NICK KYRGIOS

Nick Kyrgios

 

Nick Kyrgios has soared up the ATP rankings and will enter Indian Wells as the 31st seed following his brilliant run to the Abierto Mexicano Telcel title in Acapulco last week.

The Australian entered the Mexican tournament ranked 72nd in the world, but a terrific run to the crown saw Kyrgios more than halve his ranking to No. 33.

If Kyrgios defeats the winner of Philipp Kohlschreiber and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the second round, the 23-year-old will go on to face world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the third.

The controversial Canberran has won both of their previous two meetings, including a 6-4 7-6(3) win at the Paribas Open two years ago.


ROUND ONE: Bye.

ROUND TWO: Philipp Kohlschreiber or Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

 

TOP 16 SEEDS

1. Novak Djokovic, 2. Rafael Nadal, 3. Alexander Zverev, 4. Roger Federer, 5. Kevin Anderson, 6. Kei Nishikori, 7. Dominic Thiem, 8. John Isner, 9. Stefanos Tsitsipas, 10. Marin Cilic, 11. Bornia Coric, 12. Karen Khachanov, 13. Milos Raonic, 14. Daniil Medvedev, 15. Marco Cecchinato, 16. Fabio Fognini.

TOP HALF

Djokovic, Zverev, Thiem, Anderson, Tsitsipas, Raonic, Coric, Cecchinato.

BOTTOM HALF

Nadal, Federer, Nishikori, Isner, Cilic, Khachanov, Medvedev, Fognini.

NO.1 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

#novak djokovic

World No.1 Novak Djokovic comes into the BNP Paribas Open looking to go back-to-back after taking out the 2019 Australian Open.

As the top seed, the Serbian has one of the easiest runs of the tournament with a bye in the first round and awaits a qualifier in the second.

However, 31-year-old Djokovic could play Mexico Open winner Nick Kyrgios in the third round, who he is yet to overcome on tour.

Not only is the Australian one of the most in-form players at the event, but he has also defeated the Djokovic twice in their two meetings.

The winner of the round three clash will go on to potentially face 18th seed Gael Monfils or 15th seed Marco Cecchinato.


ROUND ONE: Bye

ROUND TWO: Qualifier or Qualifier

NO.2 RAFAEL NADAL

Rafael Nadal

Pursuing a fourth trophy at the BNP Paribas Open, Rafael Nadal enters the Masters 1000 event holding a 50-10 record.

In the Spaniard's three victories at the ATP Masters 1000 event, he has lost a total of three sets. The first time he lifted the trophy in the Coachella Valley in 2007, Nadal won every match in straight sets. 

The world No.2 will open the tournament against America's Jarod Donaldson or a qualifier, and won't face a top sixteen player until a potential round four clash with Daniil Medvedev.

However, the entire tennis world will be eyeing off an anticipated semi-final clash against Roger Federer, who won his 100th ATP title in Dubai last week.


ROUND ONE: Bye.

ROUND TWO: Jarod Donaldson or qualifier.

NO.3 ALEXANDER ZVEREV

Alex Zverev

Given that Mischa Zverev ousts Slovakia's Martin Kizan in the opening round, another battle between the Zverev brothers will take place in California.

The world No.3 has won their only previous meeting when he defeated his elder 6-3 7-5 at the Citi Open last year, but Mischa will be hungry to take his first win of the season.

However, the younger Zverev has never made the quarter finals at Indian Wells and fell in the opening round last year. 

But his bid to go deeper at the Paribas Open will be a challenge, with a potential blockbuster against 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov awaiting in the third-round.


ROUND ONE: Bye.

ROUND TWO: Martin Klizan or Mischa Zverev

NO.4 ROGER FEDERER

Roger Federer

Fresh from taking out his 100th career title at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week, Roger Federer will head into the Paribas Open in a bid to lift a record sixth trophy at Indian Wells.

However, the 37-year-old enters the tournament with only 600 points securing his place as world No.5. Should he fail to advance to the quarter-finals, Kevin Anderson and Kei Nishikori will have an opportunity to overtake the Swiss Mastro.

Federer will face the winner of Peter Gojowczyk and Andreas Seppi in the second round at Indian Wells, with a potential battle against compatriot Stan Wawrinka lurking in the third.

Should the pair advance to the third round they would meet for the 25th time on tour. While fourth seeded Federer leads 21-3 over his countryman, all of Wawrinka's victories have been at Grand Slam or Masters 1000 events.

The winner of the Swiss match will most likely go on to face world No.2 Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.


ROUND ONE: Bye.

ROUND TWO: Peter Gojowczyk or Andreas Seppi

 

NO.5 KEVIN ANDERSON

Kevin Anderson

Leading the second quarter with world no.3 Alexander Zverev, fifth seed Kevin Anderson will have to outlast Roberto Bautista Agut and Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the final sixteen.

The South African is set to play his first tournament since he was sensationally knocked out of the second round of the Australian Open by American youngster Frances Tiafoe.

After his first round bye the world no.6 will play the winner of Germany's Maximilian Marterer and a qualifier for a place in the third round.

ROUND ONE: Bye.

ROUND TWO: Maximilian Marterer or Qualifier.

Lucie Bertoldo