Indian Wells ATP 1000 – 8th day

Medvedev D. – Korda S.

Medvedev advanced through the first round quite comfortably against an opponent not of the highest caliber. Widely regarded as the most tactical player on the circuit, he plays from well behind the baseline, aiming for extreme depth and varying his shots frequently. Since changing coaches at the beginning of the year, he's been trying to adjust his court positioning among other aspects, though results have yet to clearly show improvement. Additionally, it's worth noting his frequent complaints about the very slow surface. Korda, on his part, seems to have returned to the form he showed last year when he made it to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, surprising many before an injury halted his progress. Korda is quite comfortable on this surface and has a style of play that could pose challenges for his opponent if he manages to limit his errors. The first serve will be crucial for the American. In my view, the Russian might win, but it won’t be with ease, perhaps in a deciding set?

Lehecka J. – Tsitsipas S.

Since taking on a former player with similar attributes to his own (Berdych) as his coach, Lehecka has been impressively surprising. In the previous round against Rublev, a formidable opponent, Lehecka prepared perfectly, responding aggressively and serving with incredible speed and accuracy, only faltering slightly when closing out. Tsitsipas, on the other hand, defeated a struggling Tiafoe but allowed him many opportunities, especially on the backhand side, which the American failed to capitalize on. The serve will be crucial for both, but the outcome of the match is far from predetermined. Contrary to what the odds might suggest, the match will likely depend on the Czech player, especially considering Tsitsipas's historical discomfort on these surfaces.

Shelton B. – Sinner J.

Shelton had a challenging match in the previous round against a resurgent Cerundolo, where he often risked losing his serve. It goes without saying that against an opponent like Sinner, having a strong first serve will be crucial to put him under any sort of pressure. If this happens, reaching a tie-break, especially in the first set, could be plausible. As for Sinner, there's really not much to say; he's proving himself to be the world number 3, playing a complete game in every aspect. The outcome will almost entirely depend on him. Their head-to-head record stands at 1-1, but those matches were on very different surfaces.

Zverev A. – De Minaur A.

Zverev is returning to the form befitting his skill level after a severe injury at last year's Roland Garros, regaining confidence in his primary weapons: his serve and backhand. He's demonstrating a wide variety of shots and giving his opponents few chances on his serve. De Minaur, unlike the German, has been more vulnerable on his serve, so watch out for potential breaks. This match could well be decided in a third set, possibly in favor of the German? Also, the wind factor might benefit Zverev's powerful shots, given that his opponent, even in defense, tends to play close to the baseline.