Matteo Berrettini will meet Taro Daniel in the Second Round of the 2023 Indian Wells Masters. The match will be played on Friday March 10th, 2023.
Matteo Berrettini is the 20th seed here at the Indian Wells Masters and is ranked 23rd on the ATP Tour. The Italian has been struggling lately, but remains one of the best players in the world, especially on this surface. His low ranking makes him a very dangerous floater in the draw, and he will be hoping to get off to a good start here against Taro Daniel. He is only 5-4 on the season but found some form in Acapulco, where he reached the Quarter-Finals. On his day he can defeat anyone on a hard court once his power game is clicking, and should be considered a dark horse to win the title here.
Taro Daniel is unseeded here at the Indian Wells Masters and is ranked 103 in the world. He has a slightly better record for the season than his opponent Matteo Berrettini and like the Italian, reached the Quarter-Finals last week in Acapulco where he lost to Alex de Minaur. His steady baseline game and elite movement make him a difficult opponent to face, but he lacks a major weapon that is needed to challenge the top players. After qualifying he defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets in the First Round, but will need to be even better here to get past Berrettini.
Despite his struggles in 2023, I expect Matteo Berrettini to comfortably win this one. His serve and forehand are one of the most lethal combos in world tennis, and he should have no trouble overpowering his opponent Taro Daniel. He may be sloppy at times as he slowly builds his confidence, but expect Berrettini to reach the Third Round here at the Indian Wells Masters.