Joao Fonseca, Emma Raducanu and Nick Kyrgios in action: Indian Wells, Day 2 Preview

Joao Fonseca vs. Jacob Fearnley

>>> Watch live HERE, 2 p.m. ET

Going by the rankings, the first match in Stadium 1 should be a highly competitive contest: Fonseca is 80th, Fearnley is 81st. Aside from that somewhat accidental fact, the Brazilian and the Brit come from very different corners of the tennis universe. Fonseca is an 18-year-old prodigy who has jolted the Australian Open and won a title in 2025. Fearnley is a 23-year-old who has spent the last few years putting in the hard yards on the Challenger circuit. Fonseca’s rifle forehand has earned him comparisons with Carlos Alcaraz, while Fearnley’s no-bells-and-whistles game has been described by commentator Robbie Koenig as being “tough as a two-dollar steak.”

Read More: 'My real dream is just to play tennis,' Joao Fonseca says after winning his first ATP title

These two played once before, in January in Canberra, and Fonseca won 6-3, 6-3. Fonseca has the bigger game and the bigger future, but Fearnley competes well—he beat Nick Kyrgios in front of his home fans at the Australian Open, and he has junior wins over Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Fonseca should win if he’s sharp, but if he’s slightly nervous or rusty or off, Fearnley has the type of grinding game to make him pay for it. Winner: Fonseca

Emma Raducanu vs. Moyuka Uchijima

>>> Watch live HERE, 4 p.m. ET

Second up in Stadium 1 is another match between two players who are close in ranking—Uchijima is 52, Raducanu 55. But those numbers don’t reveal much about the direction these two women are taking. Raducanu, the younger of the two at 22, had a meteoric rise to Grand Slam fame four years ago in New York, but has been treading injury-plagued waters ever since. Uchijima, while she is older at 23, appears to be coming into her own in 2025. She nearly beat Mirra Andreeva at the Australian Open, she upset Jelena Ostapenko in Dubai, and her ranking of 52 is a career high.

Still, Raducanu won their only meeting, three years ago, and she played some credible tennis in Dubai, beating Maria Sakkari and losing a close two-setter to Karolina Muchova. Raducanu likes a stage; if she wins this match, she’ll get a big one against Coco Gauff. Winner: Raducanu

Read More: Emma Raducanu opens up about 'fixated' man in Dubai crowd at the BNP Paribas Open

McCartney Kessler vs. Anna Blinkova

>>> Watch live HERE, 9 p.m. ET

Kessler was largely unknown a year ago. Now the 25-year-old Georgia native and Florida Gator is leading off the evening session in Stadium 2 at Indian Wells. She has earned it, winning a title this year in Hobart, beating Coco Gauff in Dubai, and making the final in Austin last week. Kessler may not have the power or flash of some of the top women, but she competes as fiercely and as well as any of them.

Kessler is ranked 34 spots ahead of Blinkova (48 to 82). But the 26-year-old Russian has shown a few signs of life of her own of late, beating Elina Svitolina in Linz and going 8-6 so far this season. These two have never played; their first meeting will lead to bigger things for the winner, who will face top seed Aryna Sabalenka. Winner: Kessler

Bonus: Nick Kyrgios vs. Botic van de Zandschulp

>>> Watch live HERE, 9 p.m. ET

The question we’ve heard most about Kyrgios over the last two years is whether or not he’s going to be able to take the court. We’re hearing it again today, as the Australian appeared to re-injure his oft-injured wrist during a practice session on Tuesday.

Read More: Nick Kyrgios injures wrist in practice, leaving Indian Wells return in question

If Kyrgios can post up, this could be a good one. Both of these guys have big-match, giant-killing capabilities. The Australian has multiple wins over the Big 3, and Van de Zandschulp knocked out Carlos Alcaraz at last year’s US Open. They’ll also off a contrast in style and demeanor. The volatile Kyrgios plays a flicky baseline game, while the understand Dutchman likes to power his ground strokes to the deepest parts of the court.

Van de Zandschulp has a lower ceiling than Kyrgios, but he has played quite a bit more tennis in 2025, including two qualifying wins this week that should have him acclimated to the desert conditions, and ready for whatever comes from the other side of the net. Winner: Van de Zandschulp