BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells Masters 1000 'Preview'

Rafa

The BNP Paribas Indian Wells tournament, which started on March 7th and runs thru March 20th, is packed with some of the ATP's heavyweights.  Headlining is of course, the world's number one, Rafael Nadal.  At the Australian Open, Rafa struggled with a leg injury he sustained early in the first set of his quarterfinal match against fellow Spainard, David Ferrer.  He's been hush-hush about the injury, but played well last week in Davis Cup action.  Rafa has won at Indian Wells in 2007 and 2009.  Going up against some of the best in the business should how much he has recovered from his leg injury.

Roger Federer

Nole on beach in California

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic , the world's numbers two & three respectively, are also in the draw.  Djokovic could take over the number two position if 1) he wins the tournament, or 2) he reaches the final and Federer loses before the title match, or 3) he reaches the semifinals and Federer loses before the quarters.  Roger currently holds a 165 point lead over Nole - 7965 points for Federer to 7800 points for Djokovic.  Nole is on a fourteen match winning streak, including two wins over Roger Federer (Australian Open semifinals and the finals of the Dubai Duty Free Championships) - both defeats in straight sets.  Roger won at Indian Wells from 2004-2006.  Nole won this tournament back in 2008.  Roger is looking to regain his form, and Nole is playing better and with more confidence that at any point during his career.  Federer and Djokovic could possibly meet in the semifinals if they each make it that far.

Robin Soderling

Andy Murray

Robin Soderling, currently ranked number four, could possibly meet the man he recently overtook for the fourth position in the rankings, Andy Murray, in the quarterfinals.  Soderling has won 3 of the 4 tournaments he has played in this year (Marseille, Rotterdam - both indoor hardcourts, and Brisbane International on an outdoor hardcourt).  He's won a total of nine titles during his career, three of them in the 1st two months of the 2011 season. The Swed is en fuego.   Andy Murray is coming off a very embarrassing disappointing Australian Open final, losing in straight sets to Novak Djokovic, and a first round loss in Rotterdam.  Up until the finals of the Aussie Open, he looked a guy on a mission, since then he's lost his mojo.  If majors were won on game alone, Mr. Murray would already have a couple trophies in his case, but unfortunately for Andy, his head gets in his way.  This isn't a major, so maybe he won't choke.

Milos Raonic

Dolgopolov

Alexandr Dolgoplov and Milos Raonic are two young players on the move, each making their presence known in 2011.  Dolgo started the year ranked number 32, and with some steady play, has moved up to his current ranking of 23.  He had a good run at the Aussie Open, making it to quarterfinals, giving Robin Soderling his only loss in the 2011 season.  He also made it to the finals of Costa Do Suipe, losing to Nicolas Almagro, and made it to the semifinals in Acapulco, losing to eventual winner, David Ferrer.  Milos Raonic started the year ranked 156 in the world and is now the number 37.  At the Aussie Open, he made it to the round of 16, and lost in the finals to Andy Roddick in Memphis.  He won his first ATP tour event at the SAP Open, defeating the Spainard, Fernando Verdasco.

Juan Martin

Juan Martin Del Potro is definitely on the comeback.  After being out the game for almost all of 2010 w/a wrist injury that required surgery, he began 2011 with a ranking of 484, he will enter Indian Wells back inside the top 100, ranked number 90.  Since his comeback, he has one title under his belt at Delray Beach defeating Janko Tipseravic is straight sets.  He's also made to semifinals since his comeback - losing in Memphis to winner Andy Roddick, and losing to Fernando Verdasco at the SAP Open in San Jose.  Juan Martin defeated Radek Stepanek in the first round of Indian Wells on Thursday 6-4, 6-4.

Of course, this isn't the whole field, and it's definitely not a post about the end all, be all in men's tennis, just some of the guys I have my eye on this year.  As always, remember I'm not a tennis expert, I'm just a boy...