Indian Wells Open 2025: 5 big storylines to follow ft. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff and more

The so-called fifth Grand Slam of tennis is coming up, and this year's Indian Wells Open will be a major one for a couple of players. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and more have plenty to play for at this hardcourt event in California.

So let's take a look at some of the burning storylines leading up to the 2025 Indian Wells Open.

How will Novak Djokovic fare at Indian Wells?

ATP Qatar ExxonMobil Open Round Of 32 - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic has had an interesting season so far in 2025 with very good performances at the Australian Open where an injury derailed what seemed like a promising run. He bested Carlos Alcaraz there, so he was playing well enough to win.

He returned from injury at the Qatar Open but was beaten by a very impressive Matteo Berrettini in two sets. Some minor injury concerns showed up when he was shown limping at the Doha airport, but Djokovic was confirmed to be playing at Indian Wells. Fans are very curious to see how the Serb fares at the event.

Part of that is his physical shape because injury concerns have become rather prominent with him and if continued, might just completely derail his career. The level is also a question mark because he's struggled to really find that high level he needs to compete with some of the best. Djokovic was shockingly beaten early last year at the event, so many fans are wondering what will happen this year.

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Can Carlos Alcaraz assert his dominance in the absence of Jannik Sinner?

Jannik Sinner being suspended from the sport left a gap at the top that needs to be filled and many expect Carlos Alcaraz to do so. The upcoming Indian Wells Open is the first big event that will happen without the Italian, and it's one where Alcaraz has dominated in the past.

The Spaniard won the event last year and the year before, so the expectation is that he will do it again simply because he's been almost unbeatable at the event and his main competitor won't be playing.

Whether that truly happens remains to be seen, but it's one of the most talked about storylines leading up to this year's event and for very good reason. Alcaraz has been pretty solid post the Australian Open, and the slowness of the Indian Wells courts should fit his style perfectly.

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Will Coco Gauff return to winning ways?

Another player who has lots to prove at the upcoming event is Coco Gauff. She hasn't been historically great at the Indian Wells Masters, where the slowness of the court has left her vulnerable against some big hitters. But after changing her style of play to a more aggressive approach, Gauff might actually be the aggressor this time around.

She's an American, so the crowd will back her, and she needs a good result after an up-and-down 2025 so far. Her level down under was pretty good with amazing performances at the United Cup, but she failed to see that through at the Australian Open.

Since then, she's been quite dreadful, losing both matches in the Middle East. Now people are starting to wonder whether her finish to the 2024 season was a fluke or not. Time to prove it on the court.

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Swiatek or Sabalenka, who is the true number one?

Officially, Aryna Sabalenka is still the number one player in the world with a sizeable lead over Swiatek, but she hasn't done much since the Australian Open final. Swiatek hasn't done much herself, so maybe the Indian Wells Masters will show us who the better player is.

The conditions should suit both players with their devastating baseline games, so in essence, the event will serve as a great test to see which player is at the top right now. The rankings are one thing, but the level each displays might tell us who the true number one is right now.

Both have been pretty solid in 2025, though neither has been brilliant lately, and with the clay season looming, a fresh look at the current landscape is much needed.

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Will Joao Fonseca skyrocket to stardom?

Teenager Joao Fonseca has been doing some amazing things in 2025. His level has been so good that many have already called him the third in the next big three, which is a big two right now with Sinner and Alcaraz. While that might seem premature, a massive run in Indian Wells could solidify that claim.

Fonseca has a good serve and plays super aggressively from the baseline, which is precisely what will make him dangerous in Indian Wells. If he brings his best tennis, there is a very real chance that he advances to the second week, and who knows what might happen then.

A great run could skyrocket him to stardom much sooner than anybody anticipated, though it shouldn't be a shock as he flashed his massive potential as early as last year.