Day 2 at the ATP Indian Wells Masters in California will see the conclusion of the first round of matches before the big guns step on the court. Nonetheless, some exciting matches are already stacked up, including that between rising star Joao Fonseca and his British counterpart, Jacob Fearnley. Several other encounters are also in queue, but who will advance?

ATP Indian Wells Day 2 Predictions

Rinky Hijikata vs Alexander Shevchenko

Head–to–Head: First Meeting

Two players in dismal form meet for the first time in their career in California in what will be a close encounter. In fairness to Shevchenko, he has been unlucky with his opposition over the last month, and he’ll be more comfortable with playing Rinky Hijikata, who lost his previous three matches. This match is expected to involve fluctuations in momentum, with Shevchenko aiming to take control from the baseline, while Hijikata will seek to employ his athleticism and variety to create disruption, but if there’s a match, the Kazakh star will be looking to win to regain some confidence, it’s this one.
Prediction: Shevchenko in 3

Luciano Darderi vs Hugo Gaston

Head–to–Head: Darderi 1 vs 0 Gaston

Their only previous match was on clay courts, with Darderi winning in straight sets, as was expected on his preferred surface. It’s a different ball game in California, where the upcoming match will be contested on outdoor hard courts, a surface where the Frenchman is the more solid and experienced player, as he showed in the qualifiers. Darderi’s big serves may elongate the match, but Gaston will eventually triumph.
Prediction: Gaston in 2

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Adam Walton vs Giulio Zeppieri

Head–to–Head: First Meeting

Despite the gulf in rankings, this is a tricky one to call between two players who showed superb fluidity in the qualifiers. Adam Walton has been more impressive, showing no signs of slowing down despite playing a ton of tennis over the last fortnight. He is the better player on hardcourts, and his victory over the big-serving American, Michael Mmoh, in the final qualifier was particularly impressive. It will boost his confidence heading into the main draw.

Giulio Zeppieri has the weapons to make this a slugfest, but I think the conditions suit Walton more and will be the favourite to advance.
Prediction: Walton in 3

Joao Fonseca vs Jacob Fearnley

Head–to–Head: Fonseca 1 vs 0 Fearnley

Following his meteoric rise over the last year, Fonseca’s entrance into the Masters 1000 level has already sparked interest among fans and analysts, making it a significant topic of conversation in the tournament. Remarkably, the Brazilian has demonstrated his capability to manage pressure, as seen in his Grand Slam debut in Melbourne and Buenos Aires, where he fended off match points in the quarterfinal to capture his maiden tour title.

Fearnley is also familiar with high-stakes situations, having faced Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last year, where he put up a competitive fight but ultimately lost in four sets. He performed exceptionally well on the Challenger Tour last year, claiming four titles, three of which were on hard courts.

Considering his groundstrokes, remarkable athleticism, and experience as a tour title champion, Fonseca is rightly favoured to win this encounter between the two youngsters.
Prediction: Fonseca in 3

Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports