The 2022 BNP Paribas Open filed has been winnowed down to the last eight, and it's one that could still pan out any number of ways. The quarterfinal lineup features two former winners, defending champion Paula Badosa and 2015 titlist Simona Halep, along with four players already seeking their second trophy this season - Halep, Badosa, Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys.
[24] Simona Halep (ROU) vs. Petra Martic (CRO)
The last time Halep and Martic played was at the same stage of Indian Wells in 2018, which Halep won 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 from a break down in the third set. That was the first WTA 1000 quarterfinal of Martic's career. At the time, she was less than a year into a comeback from multiple injuries, but her surge would take her all the way to a career high of No.14 in January of 2020.
Indian Wells: Scores | Draw | Order of play
The Croat possesses one of the widest repertoires in the game, reminiscent at times of World No.1 Ashleigh Barty: strong serve, heavy topspin forehand, knifing slice backhand, sumptuous hands at net. Over her career, she's found it harder to convert her skillset into results. Before this fortnight, she had not won consecutive matches since last May, and her ranking has fallen to No.79.
But the 31-year-old has not been content to gently decline. She hired Michael Geserer as her new coach last year, and their work is paying dividends.
"It's decision making, what to play when," Martic said after defeating No.28 seed Liudmila Samsonova in the fourth round. "That's one thing that we worked a lot. Obviously to be more predictable, more dangerous, trust your own game and skills more as opposed to focusing on your opponent and what they're going to do.
"Because, with my game, which I like to play all the shots and use them all, sometimes I fall into reacting rather than creating points. So that's one thing that we started shifting couple months back and I think it's working good."
Halep's No.26 ranking also belies her level. Like Martic, she's signalled her continued dedication to improvement with a new coaching hire, Morgan Bourbon. It's the first time that the former World No.1 has been coached by someone younger than her, having previously preferred the experience of older coaches.
But at the age of 30 and with 23 WTA titles, including two Grand Slams, Halep is at ease with being the experienced leader herself now. Her artificially low ranking, the result of an injury-struck 2021, has meant that she's flown relatively under the radar. But a 14-3 record this season, including the Melbourne Summer Set 1 title in January, indicates that regaining her usual position in the Top 10 may not be so far off.
Head-to-head: Halep leads 2-1, with Martic's sole victory coming in the second round of Copenhagen 2011.
Head to Head
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[3] Iga Swiatek (POL) vs. [25] Madison Keys (USA)
Fresh off the Doha title, Swiatek's active eight-match winning streak is the second-longest of her career at WTA level and longest on hard courts. It's been characterised by an ability to problem-solve and trust her game, at both macro and micro levels.
In Doha, the Pole overturned hitherto problematic matchups to defeat Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari. In Indian Wells, she's come from a set down to win all three of her matches so far. Her first two saw her roar back from losing tight first sets to storm through the next two against Anhelina Kalinina and No.29 seed Clara Tauson.
Most impressively, pitted against former World No.1 Angelique Kerber for the first time, Swiatek raised her level from a break down in the decider to sweep the last four games.
"Truth be told, I wasn't really sure what my tactics should be, if I should be more aggressive or play more patient game," she said afterward. "But at the end I think I made the right decision in right time, in right moments of the match.
"I felt like she wanted to use her experience and kind of trick me. But I like that because it's a new experience for me. You're not going to get that from many players because not many players have been on tour for such a long time. I'm pretty proud of myself that I could win against such a smart player."
In Australia, Keys declared 2022 her "year of the comeback." The American, at her lowest ranking in nine years at No.87, rocketed back into the Top 30 after a 10-match winning streak that encompassed the Adelaide 250 title and a run ot the Australian Open semifinals.
Consistency hasn't necessarily followed. Keys took back-to-back first-round losses in Guadalajara and Monterrey to Harmony Tan and Petra Martic, and needed three sets to get by Misaki Doi in her opener this fortnight. But she found her groove against Alison Riske and qualifier Harriet Dart to reach her first Indian Wells quarterfinal in her ninth appearance.
Head-to-head: Swiatek leads 1-0, having won 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of Rome 2021.
