Alexander Zverev defeated Matteo Berrettini 6–3, 6–4 in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters on hard court, confirming his status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.21 to Berrettini's 4.2. The German controlled the opening set decisively, breaking through the Italian's service games and establishing early momentum. Zverev maintained his superiority in the second set, converting opportunities to close out the match in straight sets without surrendering a set. The result represents a straightforward progression for the top seed, who showed the consistency required to dispatch a player of Berrettini's calibre in the opening round. Zverev advances to the second round seeking to build on this commanding performance.