Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic could meet again in Indian Wells quarterfinals

March will be an exicing month for tennis fans. After the Australian Open, two ATP and WTA 1000 tours will take place in the US, almost back to back: the Indian Wells (now called BNP Paribas Open) and the Miami Open. The first one started this week with the first rounds of qualifyings, before the first rounds takes place on Thursday, March 6.

However, the top seeded players will have to wait until Friday, March 7. Without Jannik Sinner, sanctioned by his controversial positive case -winner of last year's Miami Open-, the top seeded is Alexander Zverev, followed by Carlos Alcaraz. Zverev route to the final includes facing either Tallon Griekspoor or Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round.

Once again, all eyes will be set on Alcaraz and Djokovic, who may face in the quarter-finals, two months after facing in the Australian Open in the quarter-finals too, with Djokovic winning by tricking Alcaraz, thinking he was injured... only for Djokovic to retire -being booed- in the semis against Zverev.

For that to happen, Alcaraz needs to win in the second round, either French player Quentin Halys or compatriot Pablo Carreño, followed presumably by Canadian player Denis Shapovalov, and then, in round of 16, likely Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic has a tough challenger for his debut, Nick Kyrgios in second round.

Other projected quarterfinals could be Zverev vs. Tsitsipas, Rublev vs. Fritz, and Ruud vs. Medvedev. In the last two editions of the Indian Wells, Alcaraz won Medvedev.