Novak Djokovic withdraws from Indian Wells; Coco Gauff to win Sunshine Double?

Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and other top stars of the sport will converge in the USA for the combined Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami this month. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is one of the few top stars missing in action as he continues to serve a three-month ban.

The two tournaments mark an end to the hardcourt swing, after which players will move on to clay. Alcaraz and Swiatek are the defending champions at Indian Wells, while Danielle Collins and Sinner are the defending champions in Miami.

As the spotlight focuses on the players headlining two notable events on the tour, here's a look at some predictions that could possibly come to fruition in the month of March:

#1. Novak Djokovic to potentially skip the Indian Wells Masters

Novak Djokovic at the Indian Wells Masters 2024. (Photo: Getty)

Djokovic is scheduled to participate in the Indian Wells Masters 2025, which is set to begin from March 5. The tournament has been a happy hunting ground for him in the past, and he has won five titles at the venue He won his most recent title here in 2016, and hasn't advanced beyond the fourth round since then.

Djokovic returned to compete in the California desert for the first time since 2019 last year, and was upset by Luca Nardi in the third round. Injuries have stalled his momentum this season, and it could potentially hamper his participation at the Indian Wells Masters, even leading to a withdrawal.

The Serb advanced to the semifinals of the Australian Open but retired from the match after dropping the first set due to a leg injury. He returned to action at the Qatar Open but went down to Matteo Berrettini in the first round. That wasn't the worst part as he was seen limping at the airport later on while leaving the country.

Clearly the injury Djokovic sustained at the Australian Open didn't heal properly, or he aggravated it by competing at the Qatar Open. Recovery isn't going to be quick at his age. In order to give his best for the rest of the season, there's a good chance that he could forfeit his appearance at Indian Wells if he isn't in top shape.

#2. Coco Gauff could potentially do the coveted "Sunshine Double" with back-to-back wins at Indian Wells and Miami

Coco Gauff at the United Cup 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Gauff started the season on a high as she remained unbeaten at the United Cup to lead USA to the title. She even beat her nemesis Swiatek in straight sets. A strong title contender for the Australian Open title, she went down to Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals.

Many expected to bounce back during the Middle East swing, and instead she left the region without a win to her name. She has now arrived at the Indian Wells Open on a three-match losing streak.

However, Gauff has been in a similar predicament before, and has turned things around as well. After a brief slump during the summer last year during which she failed to defend her Cincinnati Open and US Open titles, she went on a tear for the rest of the season.

Gauff won the China Open, reached the semifinals of the Wuhan Open, and won the WTA Finals to wrap up the year on a high. If she channels her best once again, then winning the next two WTA 1000 tournaments, the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open, is a possibility.

The feat is known as the "Sunshine Double", and only four women have done it in the past. Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and Iga Swiatek won those two tournaments consecutively, and Gauff has the potential to join the ranks of these accomplished women.

#3. Danielle Collins fails to defend her Miami Open title

Danielle Collins at the Miami Open 2024. (Photo: Getty)

Collins won the biggest title of her career at last year's Miami Open, and was in great form for the next few months as well. However, it all went downhill for her following her quarterfinal exit from the Paris Olympics. She didn't win a match for the rest of the season, and started 2025 with a loss to Ons Jabeur in Adelaide.

Collins finally snapped her losing skid at the Australian Open, where she lost to eventual champion Madison Keys in the third round. However, her current form doesn't instill a strong belief in her chances of a successful title defense at the Miami Open.

Both of her wins Down Under were against players ranked outside the top 100. It would be quite a turnaround if she does manage to string together a few wins in Miami, let alone defend her title.

#4. Emma Raducanu to potentially hire a new permanent coach

Emma Raducanu at the Dubai Tennis Championships. (Photo: Getty)

Raducanu parted ways with her coach Nick Cavaday earlier this year on account of the latter's health. He was her sixth coach since her memorable triumph at the US Open 2021. She teamed up with Roman Kelecic starting with the Middle East swing on a temporary basis, and added Jane O'Donoghue to her entourage as well.

Raducanu has now hired Tom Welsh as her interim coach in the lead-up to the Indian Wells Open. He previously worked with Leylah Fernandez, and also offers his expertise at the National Academy at Loughborough.

The Brit will be keen to lock down a permanent coach as soon as possible, and could do so by the end of the month. While she has switched coaches a few times in the past, she has found a replacement soon enough. The clay season will begin in a few weeks, and the surface is her weakest based on her results. She would definitely prefer having a full-time coach prior to the start of her first clay tournament.