We are now in the third round of WTA Indian Wells, and the upcoming matches promise to be very exciting. This review presents predictions for some of the most promising matches of this round. We will focus on six encounters where the odds do not exceed 4-1, avoiding two matches with a more significant difference in chances.
WTA Indian Wells
Cirstea – Noskova: Time 10:00
Head-to-Head (H2H): 1-1
Sorana-Mihaela Cirstea and Linda Noskova will meet in a decisive match of their series. Cirstea has participated in WTA Indian Wells many times, but her best result was the quarterfinals in 2023. In most of her appearances, she was eliminated before the second round. Noskova has participated in this tournament only three times, reaching the third round in two instances. In 2026, Cirstea has a 14-3 record, including a title at WTA Cluj-Napoca 2. It’s worth noting that this title was won indoors, and she has not yet advanced past the Round of 16 on a hardcourt.
Match Prediction
Bookmakers list Cirstea as the favorite, and this opinion is shared. A title instills confidence. Although she is not a massive favorite, her chances look more favorable. Given the many unknowns, it is reasonable to bet on Cirstea’s victory.
Recommended Bet: Cirstea to win
Osorio – Osaka: Time 12:00
Head-to-Head (H2H): 1-1
Camila Osorio and Naomi Osaka will also play a decisive match in their series. Their last meeting took place exactly one year ago here at WTA Indian Wells, where Osorio defeated Osaka in straight sets in the first round. That match was competitive and almost an exact copy, though inverted, of their 2022 Australian Open match, also in the first round, which Osaka won. Osaka won here in 2018 but has not come close to that success since.
Match Prediction
Bookmakers name Osaka as a 2-1 favorite, which is somewhat surprising. Osorio already has a title in 2026, which she won at WTA Manila. Osaka has a third-round showing. One of them has a 12-5 record with a title, all on hardcourt, in 2026, while the other is 4-1, not having advanced past the third round. Osorio’s win in their rivalry happened last year, while Osaka’s took place in 2022. Given this, a bet on Osorio to win as the underdog seems appealing.
Recommended Bet: Osorio to win
Mboko – Kalinskaya: Time 19:00
Head-to-Head (H2H): 2-0
Victoria Mboko meets Anna Kalinskaya for the third time in our featured match. Both women are within the top 25 in the World rankings and are having a solid year. Mboko regularly reaches tournament finals but has not yet won one in 2026. Kalinskaya is also playing well but has not advanced past the quarterfinals of any tournament. Mboko has two finals and one Round of 16 appearance. Additionally, Mboko just defeated Kalinskaya earlier this year in the Round of 16 at WTA Adelaide, although that match went to a third-set tiebreak.
Match Prediction
Victoria Mboko is the favorite in this match by a small margin according to most bookmakers. While correct score bets might seem tempting, a straight-up bet on victory provides enough return without having to rely on round or game totals. Mboko is favored in this match, but Kalinskaya played well enough last time to recommend a cautious approach.
Recommended Bet: Mboko to win