Nice odds for our Swiss girl!

This third round at Indian Wells is shaping up to be a true tactical battle between two players who now know each other very well. Elise Mertens, currently ranked 21st in the world, comes in with solid confidence after a clear win in the second round against Cristina Bucsa (6-2, 6-1), confirming steady form at the start of this 2026 season. On the other side, Belinda Bencic (world No. 12) showed very encouraging signs in her opening match by comfortably dominating Storm Hunter (6-3, 6-2), a victory that marks a crucial step in her return to form after a start to the year disrupted by illness.

Their recent history makes this match particularly hard to call. Although Bencic leads the head-to-head for the year after her tight win at the United Cup in January (6-3, 4-6, 7-6), Mertens has shown that she can cause serious problems for the Swiss player thanks to her ability to mix up spins and her solidity from the baseline. Bencic will look to dictate play with her aggressive mindset, while the Belgian will try to wear her opponent down in long rallies, capitalizing on her serving efficiency, which was exemplary in her last match.

Historically successful at Indian Wells (semifinalist in 2019, quarterfinalist in 2025), Bencic feels comfortable in the California desert and has the technical range to counter Mertens’ consistency. A lot of Swiss ranking points to defend!