Tennis most days this month with Indian Wells leading into the Miami Open and it feels like an exciting few weeks in prospect. Plenty has happened since the Australian Open, but two I cannot let pass without comment, firstly, the return to world class form of clubgowi favourite Petra Kvitova with wins in St Petersburg and Doha, it was wonderful to see her back to her best. Secondly, the surprise (to me) comeback of "Mad" Vera Zvonareva at the Russian tournament, where she beat Kiki Bertens and took Jelena Ostapenko close and I was pleased to see she has not changed much, few tournaments are not more interesting when she is around. Vera is now 33yo a wife and mother and has also earned a second Masters degree while away from the sport, but is still a little "bonkers" and will, I am sure, make the match notes very soon, she has qualified this week and plays countrywoman Natalia Vikhlyantseva, 12 years her junior tomorrow.

 

WTA: Indian Wells

 

Samantha Stosur- Lauren Davis

 

The diminutive Lauren Davis (pictured) is, I think, the shortest player on Tour at 1.57m, she has made up for that to a degree with ability and got a lot of attention at the Australain Open by taking Simona Halep to 28 games in the third set (losing 15-13) in a marathon encounter, but is always going to be limited by her height in the modern game. Today looks a bad match up for her, with the Stosur kick serve an awesome weapon and meaning Davis will be playing a lot of returns from somewhere around her ears !
 

Stosur has a 53.28% win record on hard corts versus top 100 ranked players, that rises to 66.15% against those who are under 1.68m and on all surfaces she has won 70 of 98 (71.42%) against players that height. She is 3-0 h2h against Davis, 6-0 in sets, the four she has taken on this surface featured three by the same 6-1 score. Across the three matches Davis has averaged only 28% of points won on return (never more than 36%) and is simply not getting enough balls back into play. The US player has only played once since Melbourne, losing 4&1 to Lesia Tsurenko who would have been a much better match up for her.
 

Stosur's career feels like it has been winding down for a long time, but she is still ranked 41 and has no points to defend this year, so could push that ranking back up. She made the last 16 at Indian Wells in 2016, last 8 in 2013 when she had to retire injured and semis previously so obviously likes it here. She won three matches in Dubai in build up, beating McHale and Sakkari, before losing to Anett Kontaveit in three close sets and is clearly in decent shape (first time she played four matches at any event since her claycourt run last Spring). Stosur in two.