Cristian Garin defeated Yoshihito Nishioka 6–4, 6–0 in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters on hard court on 10 March 2023, an upset victory against the pre-match favourite. Nishioka entered with shorter odds at 1.56 to Garin's 2.58, yet the Chilean produced a dominant performance to advance, particularly in the second set where he conceded just six games. The comprehensive nature of the victory—especially the bagel in the final set—suggests Garin found his rhythm early and maintained control throughout. The result marks a significant scalp for Garin at a Masters 1000 event and positions him favourably in the draw as he seeks to build momentum in the desert.