Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia

The 2010 Paribas Open in Indian Wells California is ready to go with many of the game’s top stars competing for more than $3.6 million in prize money. Women’s play begins today, March10th. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the top seed. Dane Caroline Wozniacki pulls seed number 2 followed by fast-rising Victoria Azarenka and Elena Dementieva. The tournaments favorites are a pair of Belgians, Kim Clijsters, last year’s U.S. Open Champions and seven time Grand Slam winner Justine Henin.

The really good news is that while they are not among the top seeds, the top Belgians are in different halves of the draw. It seems likely that this year’s Indian Wells victor will have to play through one or both of these experienced competitors.

Despite the absence of heavyweights Serena and Venus Williams, Indian Wells shapes up to be the most balanced, most competitive tourney of the year. Henin, with two final appearances this year and Clijsters with one championship under her belt, add respectability to every draw.

In the top bracket, Kuznetsova will most likely have to play through Agnes Szavay in the third round before meeting the Kleybanova-Clijsters winner in the fourth round. That is no easy path to the quarters. Szavay has been on a roll of late almost upsetting Elena Dementieva in the finals at Rotterdam. Clijsters has a 7-1 career record against Svetlana and is the more successful hard court player.

The lower quarter of the upper bracket is fairly weak. Flavia Pennetta is favored to knock off sixth seeded Jalena Jankovic, if the struggling Serb arrives at the fourth round.

Victoria Azarenka should have little resistance moving to an intriguing fourth round pairing with another 20-year old hard hitter, Belgian slammer Yanina Wickmayer. Wickmayer may meet some resistance from either up and down performer Melanie Oudin or battling Daniela Hantuchova. A win over Hantuchova would be a feather in Oudin’s cap, helping her to climb up the ladder.

8th seeded Samantha Stosur highlights the bottom quarter of the upper bracket. Stosur will draw last year’s champion Vera Zvonareva, with the winner moving on to challenge the Azarenka-Wickmayer winner in the quarters. Zvonareva will have to play through Serb, Ana Ivanovic, if the pretty girl gets out of her bathing suit and back into tennis.

The two headliners in the upper bracket of the bottom draw are 6th seeded Agnes Radwanska and 4th seeded Elena Dementieva. Looming in the wings for Agnes is the formidable Henin, a probable third round match. The winner of that match will most likely draw Marion Bartoli in the fourth round. Dementieva appears to have the smoothest ride to the quarters, but her serving inconsistencies can create some disturbing losses.

Ion the bottom bracket of the lower draw, there are a bevy of tour glamour girls. 2nd seeded Wozniacki heads the crop with Maria Sharapova and Maria Kirilenko in the mix. Wozniacki has been unable to gain her 2009 form. The likely survivor will probably be either hard-charging Nadia Petrova or steady retriever Na Li, who is fast moving up the ranking’s ladder.

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