Indian Wells Day 2 preview: Kenin and Stephens to meet

Day 2 of the BNP Paribas Open features three Grand Slam champions -- two of whom face each other -- and three Grand Slam finalists in a stacked first-round schedule. There's also a match to circle between two of the Hologic WTA Tour's finest hot shot exponents. Here are the top five picks from the order of play.
More from Indian Wells: Scores | Order of play | Swiatek and the top seeds | Draw analysis | Sakkari, Fritz encouraged by Netflix | Can Krejcikova, Sabalenka keep up red-hot play? | Swiatek tuning out expectations | Memorable WTA moments | Rogers, Fruhvirtova advance
Sloane Stephens (USA) vs. [WC] Sofia Kenin
Head-to-head: Stephens leads 1-0
The 2017 US Open champion faces the 2020 Australian Open champion in a clash of American major winners seeking to rediscover that form. Sofia Kenin
2023 highlights: Kenin d. Kalinina, Hobart QF | Kenin d. Samsonova, Dubai R1 | Stephens d. Gracheva, Merida R2 | Stephens d. Townsend, Austin R1
In fact, Kenin has won more matches this year (5) than No.48-ranked Sloane Stephens (4). The latter went winless in Australia, and only got her season off the ground with back-to-back quarterfinals in Merida and Austin. But the first of those ended in the first 6-0, 6-0 defeat of her career at the hands of eventual champion Camila Giorgi.
Stephens, a former quarterfinalist in Indian Wells back in 2014, has won just two of her last seven matches here since 2016. Kenin has posted two victories in her previous three main draw appearances.
The pair's only previous meeting was a first-round rollercoaster in Toronto last year. Stephens led 6-2, 5-1 and held four match points in the second set, then led 5-2 in the third set as well. But she needed six match points to eventually close out the battling Kenin 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5. This time, the winner will immediately face another popcorn clash against Wimbledon champion and No.10 seed Elena Rybakina
Danka Kovinic (MNE) vs. Emma Raducanu
Head-to-head: Kovinic leads 1-0
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu
2023 highlights: Raducanu d. L.Fruhvirtova, Auckland R1
Physical issues have continued to beset Raducanu. She shut down her 2022 season early due to a wrist injury, suffered an ankle injury in her second match of 2023 in Auckland, and had to pull out of Austin last week due to tonsillitis. The 20-year-old Briton, now ranked No.77, also withdrew from the Eisenhower Cup exhibition ahead of Indian Wells; according to news reports, her wrist issue has flared up again.
Can Kovinic take advantage? The World No.62's season began promisingly, with a semifinal in Auckland and quarterfinal in Lyon, but she's now on a three-match losing streak -- including a loss to No.831-ranked Stefania Bojica in Dubai qualifying. Australian Open semifinalist and No.20 seed Magda Linette
Marketa Vondrousova
Head-to-head: Vondrousova leads 2-0
Marketa Vondrousova
2023 highlights: Vondrousova d. Jabeur, Australian Open R2 | Vondrousova d. Tomova, Linz R1
Vondrousova is 15-6 since returning in October. That includes a quarterfinal in Adelaide 1 to start this year, followed by an upset of Ons Jabeur
Vondrousova will also be bolstered by two straight-sets wins in as many encounters with No.75-ranked Rebecca Marino
[LL] Dalma Galfi
Head-to-head: 0-0
Danielle Collins
This year alone, Collins has been involved in several of the tour's most entertaining contests, such as a third-set tiebreak triumph over Karolina Muchova
2023 highlights: Collins d. Muchova, Australian Open R2 | Collins d. McNally, Austin QF | Galfi d. Lys, Linz R2
Collins' opponent is former US Open junior champion Dalma Galfi
Yulia Putintseva
Head-to-head: 0-0
A first-round clash between two of the tour's premier hot shot queens is one to circle. Both players have been up to their best tricks recently: Yulia Putintseva
If Muchova is healthy -- an abdominal injury forced the Czech to withdraw from Dubai -- this matchup promises much entertainment. Putintseva and Muchova have some of the softest hands around, and the tactical imagination to do breathtaking things with them. The winner will face No.14 seed Victoria Azarenka