Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Indian Wells Masters match.
Both players have struggled for form recently, but the Australian has shown greater consistency on hard courts, often dispatching lower-ranked opponents.
Alexander Shevchenko
The Kazakhstani player has endured a tough stretch on hard courts, winning just 10 of his last 27 matches on the surface since last year. His 2025 campaign has been particularly poor, crashing out in the first round in five of six tournaments, failing to win a single set in those defeats. A major issue for Shevchenko has been his inconsistent first serve, averaging just 62% accuracy this season. He also struggles with double faults, having racked up 20 across his last six matches.
Rinky Hijikata
The Australian is not in peak form, but he has been clinical against lower-ranked opposition. Hijikata has won 12 of his last 16 matches against players ranked below him. He made a notable run to the quarter-finals in Adelaide, securing wins over David Goffin (No. 56) and Brandon Nakashima (No. 33), while also pushing world No. 20 Tomas Machac in Dallas.
Alexander Shevchenko vs Rinky Hijikata Prediction
Shevchenko is eliminated in the early rounds of tournaments and has a weak first serve, while Hijikata is having a surprising season and put in a great performance in Adelaide. The Australian tends to beat opponents ranked lower than him, so we’re taking a bet on him with a handicap.
