5 Burning Questions

Who could most use a championship at Indian Wells or Miami?

These players hope to keep it 1000 in March.

Published Mar 04, 2023

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WATCH: Talking Tennis with Tracy: How are we feeling about Coco Gauff?

Question 4: Whom would a 1000-level title mean the most to right now?

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Peter Bodo: On the WTA side, I think Coco Gauff could use a little Big Win validation. Neither of the upcoming hard-court events are majors, but winning either could fuel Gauff for the clay season and her return to Paris, where she finished runner-up last year. On the ATP side, Italians Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner have both fallen from the Top 10 but remain high-quality contenders anywhere.

Joel Drucker: Sinner has won seven singles titles but yet to win a Masters 1000. Bit by bit, he’s been refining his game, from more patience off the ground to improved movement into the net area. A championship run at Indian Wells or Miami would mark a major step forward.

Matt Fitzgerald: Purely for getting the monkey off his back, it’s gotta be Andrey Rublev. He’s enjoyed plenty of ATP 500 triumphs, though only went 9-8 on the 1000 stage in 2022. Four of those wins came at IW before running into Taylor Fritz.

David Kane: Gauff has been on the brink of a big title since finishing runner-up at Roland Garros. Having made her WTA debut in Miami in 2019, is it time for the young American to silence any lingering doubts and ascend to the tour's top tier?

Could Coco Gauff use a little Big Win validation? Several of our editors can see the young American lifting a 1000-level trophy in the near future...

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Stephanie Livaudais: After reaching seven major quarterfinals and two 1000-level finals, Rublev needs a breakthrough result to catapult him to the next level. And despite her historic 2022 season, Ons Jabeur hasn’t backed up her Madrid success with a big title as Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and company continue to pull ahead.

Ed McGrogan: She's won a 1000-level title, at the very first Guadalajara Open last fall, but Jessica Pegula could use another. Expectations for the top-ranked American are high, and justifiably so. But having gone 0-5 in Grand Slam quarterfinals (all since 2021) and 2-4 in WTA 1000 semifinals (all since 2021), an Indian Wells or Miami title would feel like a breakthrough, and potentially a sign of things to come.

Stephen Tignor: ATP: Either Rublev or Felix Auger-Aliassime; they're both solid Top Tenners, but have never won a 1000. WTA: Gauff. She has a gaudy ranking of No. 6, but has won just three small titles.

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