Indian Wells 2024: Daniel Evans vs Roman Safiullin; Preview, Head-To-Head, and Prediction

The excitement for the 2024 Sunshine Double is going up with each passing day. One of the most famous events on the tennis calendar, it presents a month of thrilling tennis action. Further, the players have to brave soaring temperatures, which makes it a difficult terrain to conquer. Ask Daniel Evans, who has been around the tour for quite some time now. At the Indian Wells, he has made five appearances, winning five of the 10 matches he has played here.

Evans will open his campaign against Roman Safiullin at the Indian Wells Masters tournament. It will be a battle between the equals as both the players enter this contest in not the best of forms.

Daniel Evans vs Roman Safiullin: Preview

It has been a forgettable year so far for the 33-year-old Evans. Although he has played many tournaments this year, a second-round appearance is the best he has been able to generate. Moreover, a heartbreaking loss at the Australian Open didn’t help his cause as he lost out narrowly against Lorenzo Sonego.

Similarly, Safiullin has had a disappointing run of late. Although he started the season well, reaching the semi-final in Brisbane, Safiullin has suffered five consecutive defeats. Nonetheless, he’ll be eager to turn the tables when he faces Evans in Indian Wells first round.

Evans vs Safiullin: Head-to-Head

Evans and Safiullin have played against each other thrice before, including once on the Challenger Tour. Their first encounter was in the Quimper Challenger where Safiullin won in three sets. Subsequently, they squared off again last year at the Chengdu Open, which was won by Safiullin. Their recent meeting was earlier this year, where Evans defeated Safiullin in Los Cabos.

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Prediction: Evans to win a close encounter

Very little separates the two as far as the statistics and recent form are concerned. Thus, a close encounter is predicted to unfold, which Evans will potentially win in three sets. It promises to be a great watch for neutral fans as the unpredictability of the encounter will make it interesting to watch. Who are you betting on in this encounter? Let us know your views in the comments below.