Indian Wells 2025 Day 2: Women's singles predictions ft. Veronika Kudermetova vs Jaqueline Cristian, Lauren Davis vs Elina Avanesyan
The second day of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will see the remainder of the first-round fixtures. A total of 16 matches will be played in the women's singles event.
Emma Raducanu and Belinda Bencic will be in action as they lock horns with Moyuka Uchijima and Tatjana Maria, respectively. The likes of Anna Kalinskaya, Sofia Kenin and Ajla Tomljanovic will also be in action in Indian Wells.
On that note, let us see the predictions for some of the women’s singles matches that will take place on Day 2 of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
#1. Veronika Kudermetova vs Jaqueline Cristian
Veronika Kudermetova will face Jaqueline Cristian in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open. This will be the third encounter between the two on the WTA Tour, with Cristian having won both of their prior encounters. Whoever wins will take on 27th seed Leylah Fernandez in the second round.
Kudermetova and Cristian endured second-round exits in their previous tournaments, with the former losing to Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai, while the latter suffered a 2-6, 1-6 defeat to Paula Badosa at the Merida Open. The Russian has won seven out of 12 main-draw matches in 2025, while the Romanian has triumphed in four of eight.
While Cristian has beaten Kudermetova twice before, the last of those wins came back in 2021, and the Russian has since reached the top 10 before suffering a dip in form. Nonetheless, if Kudermetova is at her best, she should be able to beat the Romanian and reach the third round in Indian Wells.
Predicted Winner: Veronika Kudermetova.
#2. Lauren Davis vs Elina Avanesyan
Lauren Davis will take on Elina Avanesyan in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The two will square off on the WTA Tour for the first time, with the Armenian winning their only prior encounter, which came in the qualifiers of last year's Cincinnati Open. Whoever comes out on top will take on 19th seed Donna Vekic in the second round.
Davis last entered the ATX Open's qualifying round, where she lost to Ena Shibahara, while Avanesyan is coming at the back of a semifinal run at the Merida Open. The Armenian won nine out of 16 matches this season, while the American mostly competed in WTA 125 events.
Given her relatively superior run of form, Avanesyan should not have much of an issue beating Davis and reaching the second round in Indian Wells.
Predicted Winner: Elina Avanesyan
#3. Claire Liu vs Polina Kudermetova
Claire Liu will face Polina Kudermetova in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open. This will be their first meeting. The winner of the match will take on 20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round.
Liu entered the qualifiers of the BNP Paribas Open and booked her place in the main draw after straight-set wins over Yuliia Starodubtseva and Sara Sorribes Tormo. Kudermetova last competed in the qualifiers of the Dubai Tennis Championships but failed to make the main draw after losing to Alycia Parks in straight sets.
Liu will play just her second tournament in 2025, having previously competed in the qualifiers of the Australian Open. Kudermetova, on the other hand, has won five out of nine matches so far. While the Russian has lost four main-draw matches on the trot, she should be able to triumph over Liu, who has had little tennis action lately.
Predicted Winner: Polina Kudermetova.
#4. Anhelina Kalinina vs Lucia Bronzetti
Anhelina Kalinina will face Lucia Bronzetti in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The two will face one another for the third time on the WTA Tour, with their head-to-head tied at 1-1. The winner will be up against 30th seed Magdalena Frech in the second round.
Kalinina last competed at the Merida Open, where she exited in the second round. Bronzetti, on the other hand, last played in the qualifiers of the Dubai Tennis Championships and lost in the opening round.
Both have had their moments in 2025, with Kalinina winning seven out of 14 matches while Bronzetti has triumphed in five out of ten.
Given the current form of both players, it might be an interesting battle. However, if Kalinina is at her best, there is a fair chance of her coming out on top.
Predicted Winner: Anhelina Kalinina.