5 games to follow in 1r of Indian Wells | ATP Tour

Indian Wells

5 games to follow in 1r from Indian Wells

Up to 32 serial heads are exempt from playing the first round in the BNP Paribas Open

March 04, 2025

The ATP Masters 1000 calendar premieres this season this Wednesday, March 5 at the BNP Paribas Open, where the first category champion will be crowned next Sunday, 16.

Although the 32 main serial heads are exempt from playing the first round – in a picture of 128 boxes – there will be a lot of matches of great interest in the inaugural tie. In Atptour.com we analyze five of the most prominent duels that upload the curtain in Indian Wells.

Munar vs nishikori
One of the most attractive matches of the initial round will be the one that brings together Jaume Munar and Kei Nishikori for the first time in the American hard track. While the past saw the faces at the ATP Challenger Tour, in the quarterfinals of Genoa (Italy), with victory for Spanish in three sets, in Indian Wells they will release the rivalry at the ATP Tour level.

They are two trajectories that draw an ascending progression in these initial bars of the season. The Japanese, with a record of 6-5 in 2025, already knows what it is to dispute an ATP Tour final this course (Hong Kong); While the Spanish, with a balance of 7-4 this year, has reached the semifinals twice (Hong Kong and Dallas).

Both Nishikori and Munar will try to sign their first victory in Indian Wells since 2021 and 2022, respectively. Old No. 4 of the PIF ATP Rankings has the quarterfinals (2016, 2017) as its most prominent result and the Balearic, the third round (2022). The winner will be the rival of the favorite No. 18 Ugo Humbert in Second Round.

Etcheverry vs
There is no background at the 19 -year -old LEXUS HEAD2HEAD among the young #nextGenatp, Jakub Mensik, and Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. However, his first round confrontation is one of the most interesting in Indian Wells for the great potential that his rackets treasure.

The Czech began the course linking two quarterfinals in Brisbane and Auckland, while in the second round of the Australian Open Bleed the No. 5 Casper Ruud. However, its performance in February has not been at the same level, registering a 1-2 record between Róterdam and Acapulco.

The Argentine, meanwhile, has drawn an opposite dynamic, arriving at Indian Wells after its first quarterfinals in Santiago. And it is that Etcheverry will try to release his victory locker in this ATP Masters 1000, which would give him the opportunity to advance to a second round where he expects the favorite No. 22 Karen Khachanov.

Davidovich vs McDonald
Alejandro Dadidovich Fokina can boast of being classified at this point in the season in the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Race to Turin, the ranking that only adds the points achieved in 2025. And it is that the Spanish is presented in Indian Wells, after fighting in the final for the title in Delray Beach (ATP 250) and in Acapulco (ATP 500).

The 25-year-old Malaga, will play his game No. 20 of the season (13-6) against a player who has dominated in the three clashes that accumulates the rivalry Lexus ATP Head2head (3-0) with Mackenzie McDonald.

For the American, who plays thanks to an invitation, it will be his second ATP Tour Tournament of the year. Precisely, they already faced a few weeks ago at Delray Beach. Who decantes the balance on his side, will be measured in the second round to the head of series No. 25 Francisco Cerundolo.

Carballés vs O’Connell
Roberto Carballés Baena is very close to the highest position he has ever exhibited in the PIF ATP Rankings (No. 49). The Spanish, current No. 52 of the world completed an outstanding month of January with the quarterfinals in Auckland and the third round in the Australian Open, although it lands at Indian Wells with a record of four losses in a row.

The 31-year-old Andalusian will try to end his streak in the first round of Indian Wells against Christopher O’Connell, a rival who dominates the lexus ATP Head2head 1-0. Of course, in his only background last year at the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome, the Australian retired with 6-7 (7), 5-0 on the scoreboard.

Who manages to advance to Second Round will have to measure yourself with the Favorite Italian No. 28 Matteo Berrettini.

Navone vs shades
The Argentine completed the tour of the South American beaten land with more victories than defeats (4-3), after passing through Buenos Aires (CF), Rio de Janeiro (2R) and Santiago (2R). In his return to the ATP Masters 1000 (he has only played six in his career) he will premiere in Indian Wells before one of the local Local Future Hopes, Learner Tien.

The 19 -year -old American is one of the figures of the #NextGenatp – it was a finalist in the last edition of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by Pif 2024 – and will debut in the main picture of an ATP Masters 1000, thanks to its condition of No. 68 of the PIF ATP Rankings (the best classification of your career).

After the first shock that is registered in the Lexus ATP Head2head between them, Favorite No. 11 Ben Shelton will meet his rival in the second round in the Californian desert.