The first of the two tournaments that are part of the so-called “Sunshine Double” and which includes Indina Wells and Miami, tournaments of the WTA 1,000 category, begins. The Miami competition is scheduled for March 4-15, but qualifying is ongoing.
Sorana Cîrstea, 35 years old, meets in the first round at Indian Wells another veteran, Tatjana Maria from Germany, 38 years old and 59th WTA.
The two know each other very well from the circuit, and Sori leads the German in head-to-head matches 4-1. Their last confrontation dates back to 2023 at Wimbledon, when Cîrstea won in the first round 2-1, score 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
If she passes the player from Germany, a more difficult match awaits Sorana in the 2nd round with the Russian Diana Schnaider, 20 WTA. This is in the first round, because it is seeded 21. “Sori” is in the first round without Alexandru Țiriac as an official partner. The tycoon’s son supported her and helped her reach her current excellent form. The athlete from Târgoviște is ranked 38th in the WTA.
The first racket of Romania, Jaqueline Cristian, 35 WTA, will face the revelation of the beginning of the year, the Indonesian Janice Tjen, 39 WTA. The two have never met before on the tennis court.
Cristian last participated in the tournament in Dubai, where he reached the 3rd round, where he could not get past Mirra Andreeva.
If she is victorious, Cristian will face the 19-year-old Australian Maia Join, 29 WTA, in the second round.
Gabriela Ruse meets a player she just beat at the Australian Open. It is about the Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 85 WTA from whom she went to AO in the first round with 6-4, 6-4.
Ruse leads Ajla Tomljanovic 2-1 in head-to-head meetings. A win will bring the Romanian into the 2nd round against the Chinese Xinyu Wang, 30 WTA
