Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova leads the charge of the myriad of Russians when the top level action starts in Indian Wells. In the absence of Williams sisters for the ninth year running, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters and Elena Dementieva have emerged as the clear favourites.

That was quick, wasn't it? Narrowing it down to just three and on top of it, forgetting the top seed and the defending champion too. Actually that's a little bit unfair to the top seed afterall. Her performance on American hardcourts hasn't been that disastrous either, but Kuznetsova's dismal start to the 2010 season is something that the top ranked Russian needs to ponder over.

Two time champion Kim Clijsters comes across as the strongest contender for the title. Apart from the experience and the capability of knowing what it takes to win here, Clijsters has been pretty impressive since the start of the year. Due to careful (and limited) selection of events, Clijsters may have difficulty adjusting to the stiff competition, but another triumph here is definitely a possibility for her.

Clijsters' compatriot Justine Henin, also a winner here, in 2004, is equally strong a contender for the title. Consistency has always been Henin's biggest ally and the remarkable season start has given Henin the confidence to put her best game together and clinch title glory. Henin came pretty close to winning a title twice this year, but on both occasions (Brisbane & Melbourne) she struggled to go all the way. This is perhaps her chance to claim top honours.

Elena Dementieva, somehow manages a place in the possible winners list everytime a WTA event preview is written. She was expected to WIN the U.S. Open last year, but she faltered against little-known Melanie Oudin. The story was repeated at this year's Aussie Open, where she entered with a confidence boosting win over Serena Williams in Sydney, but suffered a heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of eventual finalist Justine Henin. Dementieva's game is best suited for hard-courts, but what doesn't work out is her game plan, by far her biggest weakness. Despite all the criticism that the mighty Russian faces, she manages to clinch her moments of victorious elation, at least in non-major events.

Other players who are quite capable of pulling upsets are Nadia Petrova, Caroline Wozniacki (who happens to be the No.2 seed, remember the Aussie Open debacle), an in-form Victoria Azarenka, Na Li, defending champion Vera Zvonareva and 2006 champion Maria Sharapova, who can turn into a giant-killer anytime, and the results are usually lethal.

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