The tennis version of March Madness is less than a week away, and while fans are certain to enjoy a little Davis Cup drama this weekend, many are already looking forward to what is to come at Indian Wells.  A few of the heavy hitters like Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova have sadly already been forced to withdraw from this year's event, but numerous other stars remain to vie for the title.  All will be looking to to go deep in the desert, but for some, a solid showing means more, perhaps is even more necessary, than for others.

There is no question that there are numerous women on the WTA who could use a noteworthy result at Indian Wells, but Agnieszka Radwanska may be particularly keen to do so.  The Pole virtually fell off the map at the start of last season as she struggled to win matches throughout the front half of 2015.  But Radwanska proved resilient and turned the ship around during the grass court swing.  She showed a concerted effort to stay up on the baseline and move to the forecourt with greater frequency.  She continued to employ that strategy in the months that followed, and it paid dividends by culminating with her stunning run to the title at the WTA Championships.  Radwanska has continued to build on that momentum in 2016, grabbing the title in Shenzhen and reaching the final four of both Melbourne and Doha.  She will want to continue that trend in the desert, and after losing early at Indian Wells last year, she knows that there is also the opportunity to gain some ground in the rankings.

Like Radwanska, Victoria Azarenka is another player who could gain ground in the desert after a premature exit in 2015.  She is also arguably in more need of a good showing.  The Belorussian's injury woes of 2014 are well known, and she spent much of last season trying hard to regain her top form.  She showed glimpses of it on more than one occasion, but she never quite looked like the player who had won two Australian Open crowns.  That could not be said of the former No. 1 at the start of this season, however.  Azarenka's game looked so sharp en route to winning the title in Brisbane that a number of pundits not only listed her as a contender in Melbourne, but many selected her as their pick for champion.  Unfortunately for her, she fell in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Angelique Kerber and followed that up with a further disappointment as a left wrist injury forced her out of Acapulco.  No doubt Azarenka will be eager to get back on the winning track and to prove her display in Brisbane was no fluke by going deep in California.

Of course, if ever there were a player in need of a deep run in at Indian Wells, it is defending champion Simona Halep.  For all of her success the last couple of seasons, she has had very little to smile about in 2016.  The Romanian has been plagued by various injuries, many of which are carryovers from the end of 2015.  As a consequence, she has struggled to produce her best level of tennis, and her results are proof of it.  She may have reached the semifinals in Sydney, but she has lost her opening match at her last three events, including the Australian Open.  She has seen her ranking slide to No. 5, and it is in danger of slipping further if she fails to make something happen in the desert.

Suffice it to say, there will be plenty to play for when Indian Wells rolls around, and these three women will be just as hungry as the rest of the field as they attempt to be the last woman standing.  Much will naturally depend on where they fall in the draw, but there is ample reason to feel optimistic about Radwanska continuing to build on her momentum and Azarenka having a decent look at getting back on track.  The bigger worry is Halep, who between her current form, confidence level, and the added pressure of defending her title and points of last season, is ripe for the upset.  Then again, it has been a strange couple of months on the WTA, so who really knows what will transpire?