A Ukrainian taken out right from the start?

That really is what could happen!

Taylor Townsend is currently on an impressive run with seven wins in her last eight matches. Her aggressive game, built on precise net approaches and an excellent reading of play, seems perfectly suited to the conditions in Indian Wells, as she proved by handling the windy conditions in her first match. She moves incredibly well and she’s hungry... She fights for every ball, keeps up a crazy pace, and is even reunited with her doubles champion partner Siniakova this week.

Marta Kostyuk, although higher ranked and very talented, is lacking match rhythm in official competition! She was injured during her first-round match against Elsa Jacquemot at the Australian Open in January 2026. She still managed to finish the match, losing in three sets, before medical tests confirmed how serious the sprain was. This injury forced her to withdraw from the doubles event, which she was supposed to play with Elena-Gabriela Ruse, as well as to pull out of the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha in February. So, not much match volume. Still, we’re talking about the top-tier version of Kostyuk here: resilient, combative, committed, and a finalist. Players with that kind of profile are always hungry!