Kim Clijsters defeated Lindsay Davenport in the final, 6–4, 7–5 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 2003 Indian Wells Masters.

[1][2] Daniela Hantuchová was the defending champion, but lost in the fourth round to Amanda Coetzer.

[3][4] A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.

All thirty-two seeds received a bye to the second round.