This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

BNP Paribas Open Preview

Key players to keep your eye on for the casual tennis fan.

With the main draws all set for the BNP Paribas Open, whom should the fans be watching for? It’s a wide open field where upsets aren’t really upsets, and no win is expected.  

The serious tennis fans have their favorites, but for the casual fan, here are a few names to watch this year.

 Rafael Nadal (men’s #1 seed, #1 in ATP world men’s rankings)

Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What else can be said about Rafa? He's a two-time winner here (over Murray in 2009 and beating Djokovic in 2007).  Nadal is a threat in any tournament he enters. He’s coming off a semi-final loss in his last tournament at Doha in January.  Following a five-week layoff for injury, he helped Spain to a Davis Cup win over Belgium last week. Question: Is Rafa ready and healthy enough for Grand Slam competition?  

Roger Federer (#2 seed, #2 ATP)

Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The king of Indian Wells.  The only person to win three straight titles here (2004, 2005, 2006) and is 49-6 overall since last July.  Bounced in the semis at Doha, Federer responded with a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Could this be the time R-Fed is again hoisting the trophy in Indian Wells?  

Novak Djokovic (#3 seed, #3 ATP)

He’s been red hot in the early part of the 2011 ATP season. How hot? How’s unbeaten in 2011?  Djokovic notched wins at the Australian open in January, and his third straight title defense in Dubai late last month. Novak could overtake R-Fed to become #2 in the world by the time the finals end.   Djokovic just needs get to the quarterfinals, and win one more match than Federer to overtake him in the world rankings.  Can’t count him out for a finals appearance. 

James Blake (unseeded, unranked)

The New Yorker isn’t in the top 100, but has been climbing the rankings in 2011 with quarterfinal losses in San Jose, Memphis and Delray Beach. Blake last won on tour in 2007, and hasn’t been in a finals match in over a year. But the west coast has always been good to the American, including a finals trip here in 2006.  If the draw goes Blake’s way, the semis aren’t out of the question. 

Caroline Wozniacki (#1 seeded woman, #1 WTA world women’s rankings)

The world #1 is looking to get in the BNP annals as more than being last year’s runner up.  She’s back in form as of late; with a win in Dubai, a semifinal loss at the Australian and a finals loss to current BNP Paribas champion Vera Zvonareva in Doha last time out. The Dane seems bent on being a wrecking ball at Indian Wells to avenge the loss last year. 

Kim Clijsters (#2 seed, #3 WTA)

As LL Cool J once said, “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years”.  Clijsters is at her highest ranking since 2005, when she was ranked #2 in the ATP rankings. A two-time winner here in 2003 and 2005 (d. Davenport both times), She helped signify the “changing of the guard” from the days when names like Davenport, Hingis and Williams dominated women’s tennis. Now with 41 career titles under her belt, the Belgian is primed for another run at Indian Wells glory. And with finals appearances in all three of her tournaments this year (including her Australian Open win), a fourth trip is a strong possibility. 

Vera Zvonareva (#3 seed, #2 WTA)

The BNP Paribas Open 2009 champion is back as the third seed in this year’s women’s draw. The Russian is off to an inconsistent start this year, mixing semifinal losses (in the Australian Open and at Pattaya City) with round of 16 stumbles (in Dubai and Sydney). But a championship win last month in Doha may prove that Zvonareva is back in form. And with two finals trips in the last four Grand Slam events, a strong showing at the so-called “fifth Grand Slam event” isn’t out of the question. 

Svetlana Kuznetsova (#11 seed, #26 WTA)

Svetlana could be the dark horse in the field. She’s been the runner up the past two years, and still looking to get in the record books as a BNP Paribas champion. Coming off a finals loss to Wozniacki last month at Dubai, she fell in the first round at Dubai, a straight set loss to Shahar Peer. Another Russian-born player, Svetlana has proven she can win, with a round of 16 appearance at the Australian Open, and a quarterfinal run a week earlier in Sydney. If she’s back in her Indian Wells form, she could be a force in the later rounds. 

There are a number of top names that you won't be seeing this year at the BNP Paribas Open, including Venus and Serena Williams and men’s #19 ranked David Nalbandian. 

The women’s main draw begins on Wednesday morning, with the men starting main draw action on Thursday. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?