Indian Wells Preview

Hey, all. Galileo here.

Well, it's time...




[R4]
Murray [1] d. [16] Bautista Agut
Tsonga [7] d. [11] Goffin
Berdych [13] d. [3] Wawrinka
Monfils [10] d. [8] Thiem

...Muzza is world number one with some great results at this tournament recently. But Agut will definitely make his seeding. Goffin comes in with major points to defend, but Tsonga is on fire. Wawrinka always does poorly in March, but Berdych has a nice draw, with only Karlovic to contend with, and he is due a run. Monfils has more stamina than Thiem right now. That will count for a lot.

[R4]
Dimitrov [12] d. [6] Cilic
Nishikori [4] d. [23] Querrey
Federer [9] d. [5] Nadal
Kyrgios [15] d. [31] Del Potro

...The Dimitrov/Cilic pick is a no-brainer. Querrey is going to use the home support to beat Pouille. Donald Young also lurks. If Nadal gets past Verdasco he should set up an epic clash with Federer. That rivalry is at a point where, forget surface, you can break it down by event.
Djokovic is playing awfully. He will likely have to go through both Del Potro and Kyrgios. Both players can handle the Serb. Especially right now. However, does Delpo have the fitness to beat the Djoker and the joker back to back?

[QF]
Murray [1] d. [7] Tsonga
Monfils [10] d. [13] Berdych
Dimitrov [12] d. [4] Nishikori
Federer [9] d. [15] Kyrgios

...Murray never loses to Tsonga. He leads their h2h 14-2. As usual, his superb return of serve will do the job. If you’re wondering about why the top ten will do so poorly, well just look at form and injuries. Last year's finalist and top five player Milos Raonic is not here. Anyway, Monfils will win this quarter-final. The next one is a toss-up -- it comes down to the fact this SPINNER trusts Dimitrov’s body more.
This bottom one is already a gamble. Who knows where either of these players are? Federer’s nous should be enough.

[SF]
Murray [1] d. [10] Monfils
Federer [9] d. [12] Dimitrov

...Monfils’ run comes to an end here. He struggles against Muzza. Dimi comes up just short, but if this semi-final comes to pass, it is screaming for a night match billing.

[FINAL]
Murray [1] d. [9] Federer

...I’d be more inclined to take the field right now. I don’t trust Murray to win this but he is the world number one. He should sweep to the title. He hasn’t beaten Federer in years, but he must have confidence after Dubai.

Who's this guy? #BNPPO17 pic.twitter.com/YjtYOvNWLi

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 8, 2017

Here are the women's picks:

[4th Rd.]
Pliskova [3] d. [15] Bacsinszky
Svitolina [10] d. [7] Muguruza
Pavlyuchenkova [19] d. [33] Kasatkina
Kuznetsova [8] d. [11] Konta

...Pliskova is the biggest seed in the top half with Serena’s shock withdrawal. Muguruza just has question marks all over her right now. Svitolina right now is playing like one of the top five players in the world, don’t forget. Kuznetsova is usually ripe for the upset, but there’s nobody in her section that can do that. After eight years of never getting past round three, surely this is her year.

[4th Rd.]
Wozniacki [13] d. [9] Keys
Halep [4] d. [16] Stosur
V. Williams [12] d. [6] Radwanska
Kerber [2] d. [14] Vesnina

...Normally I’d take Keys, but Woz is in form, and Keys is returning. Stosur can play on these courts and there’s nobody threatening around her. Halep should bounce back soon. Radwanska has been nowhere this season, while Williams is on top form. Kerber has no pressure, which has to help.

[QF]
Pliskova [3] d. [10] Svitolina
Kuznetsova [8] d. [19] Pavlyuchenkova
Wozniacki [13] d. [4] Halep
Kerber [2] d. [12] Williams

...Without Serena, there are three big seeds in the top half. Kuznetsova directly benefits from that, as does Pliskova. This isn’t one of those crazy pick-Sveta-at-all-costs things [like usual]. Look at the draw. Pliskova leads Svitolina 5-0 in the head-to-head. At this point you have to trust the Woz a shade more than you do Halep. Kerber has started to find a bit of form recently and she has made two semi-finals here before.

[SF]
Pliskova [3] d. [8] Kuznetsova
Kerber [2] d. [13] Wozniacki

...Pliskova is too good right now. The draw looks set-up for her and she will take advantage. She will be world number one before next year’s out. This is part of her push to that ranking. Who remembers this?


Yes, that was the moment this BACKSPINNER lost all respect for the Woz. Unable to win normally, and outclassed by the German ,she resorted to the highest low tactic of them all. Hardly fitting for a former world number one. I cannot bring myself to pick the Dane. I just can’t.

[FINAL]
Pliskova [3] d. [2] Kerber

...Pliskova wins this one surprisingly comfortably. She begins to make serious ground on the top two.


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