Indian Wells/Miami Preview

The first Masters tournaments of the year are here for the men, and women will be contending the first Premier Mandatory events, albeit without the Williams sisters at Indian Wells.  Before I get to my ideas on what could happen, here are those defending big points the next four weeks.

Indian Wells
Men's 2013 final: Rafael Nadal (ESP) def. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)
Women's 2013 final: Maria Sharapova (RUS) def. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
Semifinalists: Novak Djokovic (SRB), Tomas Berdych (CZE), Angelique Kerber (GER), Maria Kirilenko (RUS)
Quarterfinalists: Andy Murray (GBR), Roger Federer (SUI), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA), Kevin Anderson (RSA), Victoria Azarenka (BLR), Sara Errani (ITA), Petra Kvitova (CZE), Samantha Stosur (AUS)

Miami
Men's 2013 final: Andy Murray (GBR) def. David Ferrer (ESP)
Women's 2013 final: Serena Williams (USA) def. Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Semifinalists: Richard Gasquet (FRA), Tommy Haas (GER), Agnieszka Radwanska (POL), Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Quarterfinalists: Tomas Berdych (CZE), Gilles Simon (FRA), Marin Cilic (CRO), Jurgen Melzer (AUT), Na Li (CHN), Sara Errani (ITA), Roberta Vinci (ITA), Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)

Players reaching the quarters and both tournaments in 2013:
-Murray (QF/W)
-Berdych (SF/QF)
-Sharapova (W/F)
-Errani (QF/QF)

Players who will be hard pressed to defend those points:
-Wozniacki, Kirilenko (out injured), Melzer, Vinci, Ferrer (out injured)

ATP Preview
Nadal comes in off a win in Rio de Janeiro, Djokovic lost to Wawrinka at the Aussie Open and Federer in Dubai so he has yet to reach a final.  Murray made the semis in Acapulco but there to Dimitrov.  These events have the potential to be more wide open than many Masters events.  Nadal will be the favorite at Indian Wells but he has never won in Miami.  It will be interesting to see if Djokovic or Murray can pull it together here.  Federer has started the year well, I like him to go deep in the tournaments but once there it is a flip of a coin.  Don't count out Berdych, who has played well in 2014 and has been a factor at these events in the past.  Cilic, Anderson, and Dimitrov are the hot names on tour right but we'll see what happens at the Masters.  For Americans, Isner and Querrey have both struggled lately so if anyone gets to the round of 16 that will be a step in the right direction.

WTA Preview
It was a tumultuous two weeks in the Middle East for the WTA with Halep winning in Doha and Venus in Dubai.  Azarenka has not been at her best and both Serena and Li went crashing out in Dubai.  I expect the top tier to get it back together with Sharapova back in action and Azarenka hopefully injury free.  If the titlists don't come from Serena, Sharapova, Azarenka, Radwanska, or Li it is anyone's guess as to who they could be.  Kerber and Halep have played well at times, Jankovic is quietly still rising, Ivanovic beat Serena at the Aussie Open, Kanepi, Bouchard, Cornet, and Stosur have had bursts of solid play, so this will be an interesting four weeks to determine if the top tier is going to reign this year or if we're going to have another season where different players are going deep in tournaments each week.  As far as the Americans, week in-week out it is a mixed bag.  Stephens, Riske, Keys, and McHale have each played well at times this year.  Duval was a nice surprise in Acapulco last week.  I imagine one of the younger set will make the round of 16, maybe even the quarters.  It would be nice to see Stephens do well at least one of these tournaments.