Sharapova has won four of their five past meetings, but Li enters at a career-high No. 2 ranking following her triumph at the Australian Open. Li opens against the winner between Paula Ormaechea and Zheng Jie, and could face eighth seed Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals. Kvitova could play two-time finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round. Sharapova meets either Jana Cepelova or Julia Goerges in her first match since serving as a correspondent and torch bearer at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The Russian could face Sam Stosur in the Round of 16, with possible quarter-final opponents including fifth-seeded German Angelique Kerber, 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic or American Sloane Stephens. The 32-year-old Li is looking to reach the Indian Wells final for the first time, while the 26-year-old Sharapova claimed the title in 2006 and ’13 and also finished runner-up in 2012 (l. to Azarenka).
Agnieszka Radwanska is the highest seed in the bottom half of the draw, and could face a quarter-final match-up with one of two former champions: Jelena Jankovic (2010), who participated in Monday’s draw ceremony, or Caroline Wozniacki (2011). Third seed Victoria Azarenka begins her bid to reclaim the title she won in 2012 against either American Lauren Davis or a qualifier. Azarenka could come up against two-time champion Daniela Hantuchova in the third round.
The pair met last year in the second round, a match the Belarusian won in straight sets. Azarenka is seeded to meet sixth seed Simone Halep in the quarter-finals, with Sara Errani, Eugenie Bouchard and Lucie Safarova serving as other seeded possibilities. Women’s main draw action gets underway Wednesday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
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