And what if the Croatian felt like putting this whole little world on pause for a bit?

Jessica Pegula steps onto the court with the label of a legitimate favorite, but a slight shadow hangs over her current physical condition. Her sudden withdrawal from the Austin tournament due to knee pain abruptly cut off her momentum after a dream week in Dubai, where she’d displayed an impressive level of play. Tactically, the American remains a metronome capable of maintaining infernal pace without giving away free points, which is often the weak spot of her opponent today. The slow Indian Wells surface suits her counterpunching game and her ability to absorb her opponent’s power and redirect it with almost surgical precision.

Donna Vekić has the weapons to trouble any top‑10 player when her serve and forehand are calibrated to perfection. Her marathon first round allowed her to find her bearings in windy conditions and prove that she has regained a certain mental toughness in tense moments. And damn, it was blowing hard during her match. On top of that, I saw her looking much fitter than usual! As an absolute fan, it’s really great to see.

Historically, Jess has always made at least the round of 16 here but has never really shined either. Donna has nothing to lose and everything to prove again. She’s still a former top‑20 player, and they’ve never played each other on hard court! Jess will come in without 2026 reference points (new balls, new surface + lots of wind), whereas Donna has already spent 2 hours and 30 minutes battling the gusts and finding her bearings against the young and talented Valentova!

Lastly, Jess will be defending a final in Miami in 15 days, and fast courts are essential to her tennis. There’s no race for points here.