Steve Starr
- Iga Swiatek (+750) is favored in the WTA draw while Novak Djokovic will likely miss the ATP Masters 1000 tournament
- 2018 champion Naomi Osaka (+1000) returns to Indian Wells for the first time in three years
- The 2022 BNP Paribas Open will run from March 7-20, 2022
Here we go again. Novak Djokovic is technically in the men’s draw for the BNP Paribas Open, but the five-time tournament champion isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19.
Because the U.S. requires visitors to be vaccinated to enter the country, and since tournament officials have said everyone must be fully vaccinated to be on site, one would assume Djokovic will miss the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
While oddsmakers are presumably waiting to hear more on the Serbian’s status before releasing futures on the men’s draw, there are Indian Wells betting odds available for the women’s tournament. Here’s also where you can find the top tennis betting sites in 2022.
WTA Indian Wells
 |
|
| Iga Swiatek | +750 |
| Anett Kontaveit | +1000 |
| Naomi Osaka | +1000 |
| Aryna Sabalenka | +1400 |
| Maria Sakkari | +1400 |
| Simona Halep | +1400 |
| Paula Badosa | +1600 |
| Barbora Krejcikova | +1800 |
| Jelena Ostapenko | +1800 |
| Garbine Muguruza | +2000 |
Big stars missing in action
While Djokovic is likely to miss the men’s draw, big names are also absent from the women’s side. Ash Barty is skipping Indian Wells because “her body hasn’t recovered” from her victory in the Australian Open in January (humble brag), and the second-ranked Barbora Krejcikova (+1800) has already withdrawn from the tournament with an elbow injury.
That leaves Iga Swiatek (+750) as the clear favorite at the BNP Paribas Open. The 20-year-old Polish star is coming off a title in Doha and already has the same number of semifinal appearances (3) in the first two months of the 2022 season as she did all of last year. The 2020 French Open Champion’s game is also suited for Indian Wells’ slow courts.
🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek’s straight-sets record is unmatched 💪
When she wins matches, she does so in straight sets more often than any of her top-10 rivals.
The Polish star has won 11 of her 12 career finals, 10 of them in straight sets. #AusOpen
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) March 4, 2022
Other Top Contenders
Anett Kontaveit (+1000) had a nine-match win streak before falling to Swiatek in the Doha final. The 26-year-old Estonian is a much smarter wager than Naomi Osaka (+1000), who is just 13-7 since winning the 2021 Australian Open. Playing as a wild-card entry, the four-time Grand Slam titlist will face 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens in a blockbuster first-round match.
Aryna Sabalenka (+1400) is just 6-5 this season and shares a draw with Maria Sakkari (+1400), who has advanced to the semifinals or better in six of her past nine tournaments. Two-time major champion Simona Halep (+1600) is another intriguing name. The 30-year-old fired both her coaches after the Australian Open, but she has reached the semis or better at four of her past six tourneys.
After 2 years it’s nice to back 🥰🎾🌴 @BNPPARIBASOPEN pic.twitter.com/4wWVWhXZfs
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) March 6, 2022
Best Bets
Last year’s BNP Paribas Open champion Paula Badosa (+1600) lost in the fourth round in Melbourne and the third round in Doha, but the Spaniard should be plenty confident given that she won in Indian Wells just five months ago.
Jelena Ostapenko (+1800) is on a nine-match win streak with a tour-leading 14 wins through the first two months of the tennis season. Nothing will come easy to the 2017 French Open champion as she shares a draw with Osaka, Badosa and Kontaveit, but Ostapenko could surprise.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
