MINSK, 5 March (BelTA) – Former world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, currently ranked 48 in the world, will face fellow Belarusian Vera Lapko, world number 62 in the opening round of the 2019 Indian Wells Masters, BelTA has learned.
The winner of the first round will take on another former world number one Serena Williams of the United States, currently world number 10. Victoria Azarenka won the Indian Wells tournament twice. She defeated Maria Sharapova of Russia to claim the champion title in 2012, and repeating her success in 2016 seeing off Serena Williams of the United States.
Belarus' world number nine Aryna Sabalenka and Belarus' world number 34 Aliaksandra Sasnovich will launch their Indian Wells run from the second round.
The hard-court tournament will be over on 17 March. Last year the Indian Wells Masters was won by current world number one Naomi Osaka of Japan who beat Russia's Darya Kasatkina in the final.
