2021 Indian Wells Masters Second Round – Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep on and what time does it start? Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep will take place on Friday 8th October, 2021 – not before 20:15 (UK)
Where is Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep taking place? Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep will take place at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, USA
What surface is Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep being played on? Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep will take place on an outdoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep
What channel is Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep on? Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep will be televised on the Amazon Prime Video app on smart TVs
Where can I stream Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream Marta Kostyuk vs Simona Halep live via their platform
THE LOWDOWN
World number 58 Marta Kostyuk took the first set against Shuai Zhang and then rallied well to come back and take the decider in eventually comfortable fashion in Wednesday. The 19-year-old reached the round of 16 at Roland-Garros earlier this season but she has since struggled to make much of an impact on tour as a much-hyped star of the future. She faces two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep next with the Romanian playing her first tournament since a round of 16 defeat to Elina Svitolina at the US Open. The 30-year-old has since amicably cut ties with long-standing coach Darren Cahill and also married all in the space of a month and it remains to be seen how she reacts on court.
THE PREDICTION
11th seed Simona Halep has had to deal with numerous injuries this season and she was one of the players whose form was likely most adversely affected by the pandemic suspending last season. She should have more than enough to beat this current version of Marta Kostyuk but her lack of recent match practice, and so much change in her professional and personal life, could see her start a little rusty. For that reason, take Halep to win outright here instead of in two.
