The stage is set for the season’s first Masters 1000 at Indian Wells, with the draw finalized and the “blue patrol” primed to hit the hard courts for the $8,963,700 prize. Last year’s champ, Carlos Alcaraz, looms large, but Jannik Sinner, the notable absentee, is sidelined by a three-month doping ban following his WADA agreement. The tournament kicks off today, March 3, with qualifying, while the main draw runs from March 5 to March 16 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
Matteo Berrettini, back in the ATP Top 30 at No. 29 for the first time since June 2023, is seeded 28th and the lone Italian in the first quarter. He’ll face either Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena (No. 52) or Australia’s Christopher O’Connell (No. 75) in the second round. Potential foes include Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third, Holger Rune in the fourth, and Alexander Zverev in the quarters. Berrettini’s five prior Indian Wells runs yield three wins in eight matches, with his 2022 fourth-round loss to Miomir Kecmanovic his best.
Lorenzo Musetti, No. 16 and the fourth seed in the second quarter, opens in the second round against Roman Safiullin (No. 69) or Reilly Opelka (No. 114). He’s in Casper Ruud’s eighth and Daniil Medvedev’s quarter. In four appearances, Musetti’s 2-4, with last year’s third round his peak. Flavio Cobolli, No. 40, debuted here last year, losing to Carballes Baena; now he’ll face a qualifier, with a possible Medvedev clash in round three.
Luca Nardi, No. 67, returns after last year’s third-round run, highlighted by a stunning upset of Novak Djokovic that vaulted him into the Top 100. Fresh off his first ATP final quarter in Dubai, he meets ex-top-10 Brit Cameron Norrie (No. 77) in the first round, a rematch of Norrie’s 2022 Rome win. Matteo Arnaldi, No. 35, enters his third Indian Wells, second in the main draw after failing 2023 qualifying. Last year, he fell to Alcaraz in round two.
In Alcaraz and Djokovic’s quarter, Lorenzo Sonego (No. 37) and Luciano Darderi (No. 60) could meet in the third round, with a potential Djokovic showdown in the fourth. Sonego, in his fifth appearance, finally won a match last year, beating Kecmanovic. He faces David Goffin (No. 56) in the opener, holding a 2-1 edge from 2024 wins. Darderi debuts against Facundo Diaz Acosta (No. 139), splitting their prior two meetings. Qualifiers Mattia Bellucci, Matteo Gigante, Giulio Zeppieri, and Fabio Fognini also vie for main-draw spots.
On the women’s side, three Italians feature: Jasmine Paolini and Lucia Bronzetti land in Aryna Sabalenka’s top half, while Elisabetta Cocciaretto sits in Iga Swiatek’s bottom half. Paolini, No. 6 and sixth seed, starts in the second round against either wild card Iva Jovic (No. 157) or Julia Grabher (No. 388, protected ranking). In her fifth Indian Wells, her 2024 fourth-round run remains her best. Bronzetti (No. 62) opens against Anhelina Kalinina (No. 54), and Cocciaretto (No. 72) faces Renata Zarazua (No. 69).
