Indian Wells 2022: Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep Prediction, Head-to-Head, Preview, and Live Stream Details for BNP Paribas Open

Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep

It is a battle of former Grand Slam champions in the semi-finals of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open as Iga Swiatek squares off against Simona Halep.

Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep: Match Details

Tournament: Indian Wells 2022
Match: Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep
Round: Semifinals
Date: March 18, 2022
Venue: Indian Wells, CA, U.S.A.
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize Money: $343,985

Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep: Preview

Iga Swiatek put an end to her first set stumbles, by breezing past Madison Keys in straight sets. The Pole was in cruise control throughout the match as she stormed past the American 6-1, 6-0. Swiatek dropped the first set in all her earlier matches in the desert, but this time around there were no fumbles for the 3rd seed as she put on a scintillating display to book a place in her second WTA 1000 semi-finals in a row.

Simona Halep had a similar result in her fourth-round clash as she routed Petra Martic 6-1, 6-1. The Croatian, who knocked out Emma Raducanu earlier, had no answer for the flawless display put on by 2015 champion, Halep. After a three-set win in her opener, Halep has put on an impeccable run by not dropping a set since then to reach the semi-finals in the desert for the first time since 2018.

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Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep: Head-to-Head

This will be the fourth meeting of the duo. Their head-to-head currently stands at 2-1 in favor of the Romanian. Their previous match-up was at the 2021 Australian Open, where Halep came out on top 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Iga Swiatek vs Simona Halep: Prediction

Halep was the winner during their sole hardcourt clash ahead of this match. But Swiatek has had quite a turnaround since then, earlier known for her prowess on clay courts, the Pole has become quite the force to reckon with on hardcourts as well. She is currently on an 18-3 record this year compared to Halep’s 15-3.

There isn’t an outright favorite coming into this match and the winner of this encounter will be hard to predict with almost nothing separating the two players. Halep has been the better so far this tournament, with Swiatek struggling with early match nerves by dropping opening sets in 3 of her 4 matches so far. That said, the Pole will be the slight favorite given her 9-match winning streak but needs to improve on her serve if she hopes to defeat Halep, arguably considered as one of the best returners on the women’s circuit.

Prediction: Iga Swiatek to win in three sets