Events / Ben Caudell / 11 March 2009 /

Indian Wells will provide us with the same level of tennis as a Grand Slam, says Ben Caudell as he picks the best bets on day one.

Wednesday sees the start of the best attended tennis tournament outside the four Grand Slams.

With over 330,000 attending last year, a record crowd, and with the second biggest tennis stadium in the world (Only the U.S Open's Arthur Ashe Stadium is larger) this year's event, the first event of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and the Sony Ericsson WTA Premier tour, will provide us with the same level of entertainment as any Grand Slam Event.

More than 250 players will compete during the two weeks at this year's event. The Men's tournament is especially strong with all of the top 32 ranked players competing, bar Nicolas Almagro. Roger Federer, the 2006 winner, will be gunning for a fourth title and is one of a handful of players who have won back-to-back singles titles at Indian Wells. Lleyton Hewitt is the only other player in this year's draw who has previously won this tournament in consecutive years - in 2002 and 2003.

On the women's front, Daniela Hantuchova is the most prolific winner having won in 2007 and 2002. She was the lowest seed to have ever win the tournament in 2002, seeded 18.

I will once again provide my daily tip's for both Men's and Women's matches starting today with the first round of the women's draw.

Selections

Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) v Marina Erakovic (NZL)

Pironkova, the 22-year-old Bulgarian, ranked 50 in the world continues to move up the WTA Tour rankings, this year she will hope to break into the top 30 and with wins over Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka, and Karolina Sprem in 2008 under her belt, there is no reason why she can't break into the top 20. Pironkova's favourite surface is hard court and against the poor serving Erakovic (she has hit 21 double faults in her last four loses) there is value to back the Bulgarian.

Selection: Back Tsvetana Pironkova @ 1.5 to win

Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) v Michaella Krajicek (NED)

Both these players have been suffering from a lack of confidence. Vaidisova's demise has been incredible over the last couple of years but this could be the start of her comeback after she recently returned to her old coach Alex Kodat and took part in an intensive training schedule at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy. The young Czech is starting to find her feet again and needs to put in the hard graft to get her to where she was in 2006 and 2007, this tournament could provide her with the ascension back into the games top echelon where she once belonged.

Selection: Back Nicole Vaidisova @ [2.6] to win

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