Indian Wells 2022: 5 favorites to win the men's singles title featuring Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev

The 2022 Indian Wells Masters is right around the corner. Rafael Nadal is the only member of the Big 3 who will compete in the tournament, with Roger Federer still recovering from his knee surgery and Novak Djokovic unable to enter the country due to vaccine mandates.

Nadal will face a stern challenge from the next generation of players who have made their presence felt at the Masters 1000 tournaments over the last two years.

Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev have won multiple titles at this level. Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berretiini and Jannik Sinner have reached the finals of Masters 1000 tournaments, but are yet to emerge victorious and will be hungry for success. Carlos Alcaraz won his first ATP 500 event a couple of weeks ago and will be aiming to continue his rather quick rise to the top of the game.

Here are the five players who are expected to contend for the title:

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#5 - Cameron Norrie

Cameron Norrie at the 2021 Indian Wells Masters.

Cameron Norrie made a disappointing start to the year as he lost all three of his ATP Cup group ties, followed by an opening-round exit from the Australian Open. He won his first match of the year at the Rotterdam Open, where he made it all the way to the quarterfinals.

Norrie started turning his season around at the Delray Beach Open. The Brit won his third career title, defeating players like Sebastian Korda and Reilly Opelka along the way. He continued his good run of form at the Mexican Open, where he lost in the final to Nadal after beating players like Isner and Tsitsipas.

Norrie has raised his level just in time for his title defense at Indian Wells.

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#4 - Felix Auger-Aliassime

Felix Auger-Aliassime at the 2022 Australian Open.

Felix Auger-Aliassime started the year by playing a key role in Canada's triumph at the ATP Cup. At the Australian Open, he reached the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time, before losing to Daniil Medvedev in a close match.

At the Rotterdam Open, he made it to the final after scoring wins over Andy Murray, Norrie and Rublev. He then defeated Tsitsipas to win his maiden career title in his ninth final.

The Canadian made it to the final of the Open 13 Provence next, but lost to Rublev in two tight sets.

Auger-Aliassime has taken his game to the next level over the last few months, making crucial improvements to his serve, tactics and mindset. He will be one of the contenders for the title in Indian Wells.

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#3 - Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Australian Open.

Daniil Medvedev began the 2022 season with a shock loss to Ugo Humbert in the ATP Cup. He recovered well and won the rest of his singles matches before Russian exited in the semifinals.

At the Australian Open, he had a shot at becoming the World No. 1. He made it to the final in Melbourne for the second straight year, setting up a clash with Nadal. Medvedev won the first couple of sets, but the Spaniard staged a stunning comeback to win his 21st Grand Slam title.

The Russian then competed at the Mexican Open, where he once again had an opportunity to ascend to the top of the rankings. Medvedev made it to the semifinals, while Novak Djokovic, who was competing in Dubai, lost in the quarterfinals. This led to the 2021 US Open winner becoming the new World No. 1.

Medvedev squared off against Nadal once again in the semi-finals in Acapulco. This time around, he lost in straight sets.

Medvedev has underperformed in Indian Wells, which is the only major hardcourt tournament where he hasn't reached the quarterfinals.

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#2 - Andrey Rublev

Andrey Rublev at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Andrey Rublev tested positive for COVID-19 towards the end of 2021, which hampered his preparation for the new season. He didn't participate in any warm-up events before the Australian Open and his rust was apparent as he was knocked out in the third round of the Slam by Marin Cilic.

Rublev next competed at the Rotterdam Open, where his title defense ended in the semifinals with a loss to Auger-Aliassime. His next tournament was the Open 13 Provence, where he defeated Auger-Aliassime in the final to lift his first title of the season. He won the doubles event as well.

Rublev carried this momentum to Dubai, where he won his second title on the trot. Currently on a nine-match winning streak, the Russian will be a leading contender to go all the way in Indian Wells.

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#1 - Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is a three-time champion at the Indian Wells Masters.

Rafael Nadal cut short his 2021 season in August to recover from a foot injury. He made a comeback at an exhibition event in Dubai in December, but lost both of his matches. The Spaniard even tested positive for COVID-19 at the conclusion of the tournament.

Heading into the 2022 season, expectations were measured. However, Rafael Nadal once again demonstrated why he's one of the best to ever play the game.

At the Melbourne Summer Set, he won his 89th career title. He then entered the Australian Open, battling past some tough opponents to reach the final once again.

Up against Medvedev in the summit clash, Nadal lost the first two sets, but raised his level over the course of the match He ended up winning his 21st Grand Slam title, breaking the record for most Majors and also completing a double career Grand Slam.

Nadal then competed in Mexico, where he won the title without dropping a set, a feat he achieved for the 30th time in his career.

He has a 15-0 win-loss record in 2022 so far, marking his best-ever start to a season. Heading into Indian Wells, where he's a three-time champion, the Spaniard is the man to beat.

Based on his current form, Nadal is the overwhelming favorite to win his fourth title in the Californian desert and maintain his unbeaten streak.