Biggest Storylines to Watch at 2015 Indian Wells Masters
The California desert will be the setting this week for one of the biggest spring events of the 2015 season, and there will be no shortage of sizzling plot points.
Over the past 11 years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have held a near monopoly of the tournament, winning a combined 10 times. As Federer goes for his record fifth title, Djokovic will seek to defend his crown and hold off a hungry field of challengers.
On the women's side, a pair of budding rivals will try to navigate their way toward another meeting, while two of the leading ladies of the WTA Tour are set for an early showdown.
There will also be plenty of hotly anticipated returns, as various players are making comebacks from injury, retirement and even a decade-long boycott.
Here is a look at the key stories to follow at Indian Wells. With only a few weeks left before play shifts to clay, now is the time to start building momentum before the road to the French Open begins.
Marin Cilic Returns from Injury
1 of 8
The reigning U.S. Open champion will make his long-awaited return from injury at Indian Wells, adding extra intrigue to an already-deep pool of players.
Marin Cilic, who’s nursed a shoulder injury and been unable to compete since November, will begin his 2015 campaign this week. Despite that absence, the Croatian is still ranked No. 10 in the world. But to keep pace with other contenders, he’ll need to shake off the rust and erase some dismal trends.
The 26-year-old cooled down considerably after his capturing his maiden Grand Slam in New York last year. Though he won a small tournament in Moscow during October, Cilic lost in the first round at Shanghai to Ivo Karlovic and dropped all three of his matches at the World Tour Finals. He wasn’t exactly on a run of great form before the injury.
At Indian Wells, Cilic has never even advanced past the fourth round. Patience will therefore be key as he tries to get back into the flow of the ATP Tour.
Caroline Garcia and Timea Bacsinszky Aim to Continue Hot Rivalry
2 of 8
They're a pair of budding rivals on a recent hot streak, and they'll look to continue their run at Indian Wells.
No two players have performed better since the Australian Open than Timea Bacsinszky and Caroline Garcia. The duo has met the last two weeks in Mexican finals, with the Swiss stalwart Bacsinszky capturing hard-fought titles in Acapulco and Monterrey against her French foe.
Bacsinszky, 25, has reached three finals already this season and is up to No. 26 in the world. Garcia, 21, is one of the rising stars on the WTA Tour, and she's used her recent form to rise to No. 28. As two of the young guns in women's tennis, they're a perfect match on the court, as evidenced by their thrilling final in Monterrey last week.
They were separated into opposite halves of the draw at Indian Wells, making another finals encounter possible but unlikely. Still, keep an eye on both of these women. If their latest results are any indication, they're poised for plenty more success.
Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal Look to Get Back on Track
3 of 8
There has been plenty of disappointment for two of the chair members of the Big Four in 2015.
Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal have each suffered through a series of defeats early this season, but they'll look to turn their play around and gain valuable points at Indian Wells. Both men desperately need a strong tournament.
For Nadal, his return from an injury-filled 2014 has been extremely rocky so far as he fights to find his old form. After opening his season with a first-round loss in Doha to Michael Berrer, Nadal was dominated in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open by Tomas Berdych and followed that up with a dismal loss to Fabio Fognini in the Rio semifinals.
He earned a small title in Buenos Aires after taking out Juan Monaco in the final, but doubts remain for Nadal, who's trying to fight off time and his own body as he tries to reclaim his swagger.
Luckily for the Spaniard, he's a three-time champion at the event (2007, 2009, 2013), and he's made the semifinals or better in eight of the last nine years. Now is the opportune time for Nadal to make his mark.
Andy Murray has been in a downward spiral since his loss to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final. The Scot was soundly defeated 1-6, 3-6 in the quarterfinals of Dubai by 18-year-old sensation Borna Coric, a result he matched in Rotterdam with a stinging 4-6, 2-6 loss to Gilles Simon. February was clearly a month to forget.
Murray, who's never won Indian Wells despite reaching the final in 2009, picked up two momentum-building wins in Davis Cup play for Great Britain last week against Donald Young and John Isner. He'll need to carry over that level at this tournament or risk falling further behind his rivals.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Novak Djokovic Seeks to Defend Crown
4 of 8
Novak Djokovic is the current king of the tennis kingdom, and he'll look to defend his crown at Indian Wells.
A three-time (2008, 2011, 2014) winner at the tournament, Djokovic will be a marked man as his top rivals aim to steal the title and precious rankings points. The Serbian, however, won't be easily dispatched.
He began his season with another successful campaign at the Australian Open, but Djokovic was out of sorts during a recent loss to Roger Federer in the Dubai final. The 27-year-old No. 1 will be hungry to erase that memory and lift some more hardware at the prestigious Masters Series event.
With a resurgent Federer and a motivated Nadal breathing down his neck for the top spot in the world rankings, Djokovic will need to bring the goods. He's made at least the quarterfinals in eight of his last nine stops at the tournament, so expect another deep run and a possible finals rematch with his Swiss archenemy.
Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka Set for Early Showdown
5 of 8
Buy your ear plugs now.
A potential blockbuster matchup looms in the third round of Indian Wells, with the loudest and boldest women on tour set for a collision course.
Two of the leading ladies on the WTA Tour, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka will look to continue their see-saw rivalry this week, which Azarenka narrowly leads 7-6. The winner of the match will have plenty of momentum to reach the final in that section of the draw.
Sharapova is a two-time winner at the tournament (2006, 2013), while Azarenka also captured the title in 2012. Clearly, they have a track record for success at the event and should excite fans with an early blockbuster. There will also be plenty on the line for both women.
Sharapova is currently ranked No. 2 and is racing to catch up to Serena Williams. She can't afford an early exit here for risk of losing valuable points. Azarenka, on the other hand, has less to lose but more to prove as she tries to return from an injury-plagued 2014 and make her way back into the top 10. She's hungry and fast improving, as her recent runner-up appearance in Doha proved.
Should they meet, expect a finals-caliber match full of drama and enough grunting to resonate throughout California.
Roger Federer Goes for Fifth Title and Run at No. 1
6 of 8
The human trophy case will look to add to his collection at Indian Wells with a record fifth title and continue his assault on the No. 1 ranking.
Roger Federer endured mixed results in January. Sure, he won a season-opening title in Brisbane, racking up impressive wins over Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic in the process. But that momentum fizzled out at the Australian Open when he suffered a shocking third-round loss to journeyman Andreas Seppi.
But no player is better at shrugging off defeat like the 33-year-old Swiss legend.
After a couple of weeks of rest, Federer returned in Dubai and raced to the title without dropping a set. He made quick and efficient work of Novak Djokovic in the final for his seventh title at that event. Now, he'll try to make up more ground in the race for No. 1 at another one of his favorite tournaments.
A four-time champion (2004-06, 2012) at Indian Wells, Federer will look to make amends for his loss to Djokovic in last year's epic final. The hard courts here have always suited his game well, with the arid and dry climate no problem for his supreme fitness.
He'll have to navigate through a crowded field at the season's first Masters Series event, but Federer is poised to make more headlines.
Mardy Fish Kicks off Comeback
7 of 8
If you're looking for a feel-good story, pay attention to Mardy Fish.
He spent 18 months away from the game, uncertain if he'd ever play again. The last image of him on a court was a mid-match retirement from the Winston-Salem Open in August 2013. Now, Fish is finally ready to return to the game.
It's been a whirlwind last few years for the 33-year-old American. A former top-10 player who once ranked as high as No. 7 in the world, Fish started noticing problems with his heart in March 2012. After being raced to the hospital one night, he was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia, a serious condition that can lead to death in extreme circumstances.
The news startled Fish, who had surgery and attempted to play on with the aid of a heart monitor. But the diagnosis waged a heavy mental toll, and he suffered through repeated anxiety attacks. The stress of the situation eventually led him to an early retirement and a reclusive existence.
With the aid of therapy, medication and the support of his family, Fish found peace with himself and is able to play again. Though he says it's not a full comeback yet, the veteran began competing again at a Dallas Challenger event last month, when he reached the second round in doubles with partner Mark Knowles.
For Fish, Indian Wells will be the site of his official ATP debut and the spot where he made the 2008 final. He'll used a protected rank of No. 25 for the event, but just seeing him back and healthy should be enough of a treat for tennis fans.
Serena Williams Makes First Appearance Since 2001
8 of 8
After 14 years, Serena Williams is finally back.
All eyes will be on her this week as Serena makes her first appearance at Indian Wells since 2001, when she defeated Kim Clijsters for her second title at the event.
During that win, Serena endured racial taunts from fans who were upset that her sister Venus had to pull out of their blockbuster semifinal match. Angered, hurt and betrayed by their words and allegations, both Williams sisters boycotted the tournament and vowed to never return.
But time is a powerful and potent healer. All those years on the sidelines have helped to bridge the divide between Serena and her feelings for the tournament. By tennis standards, 14 years is an eternity. Now, she has enough faith to step out onto those courts once again.
While the fight for equality endures around the world, so much has changed culturally in the United States since Serena last played at the event. She has enough confidence that fans in 2015 will be more tolerant and accept her with open arms.
With the demons of 2001 fueling her, Serena is not only ready to play Indian Wells again—she's motivated to take the title.
All statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com and WTATennis.com unless otherwise noted.
Joe Kennard is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
