Tennis Picks: ATP Indian Wells Quarterfinals
The ATP’s Indian Wells tournament is down to the last two quarterfinals and so do our tennis picks. Our picks from the last round were a bit of a mixed bag as we went 1-1 with our Thursday selections. We managed to cash with Milos Raonic, who had an easy time of things with Gael Monfils. Monfils is typically better on some other surfaces while Raonic is particularly strong on the hard surfaces. He beat Monfils in straight sets, winning 7-5 and 6-3. As for our other pick, we had Marin Cilic over David Goffin and even though he was a small favorite, he failed to cash. Goffin smoked Cilic by a score of 7-6 and 6-2. Cilic pushed Goffin to a tiebreaker in the first set but then didn’t put up much of a fight in the second set.
So it’s on to the quarters. What has to make all these players confident is that if they can reach the final, they will play someone other than one of the top five players on the tour. No Roger Federer, no Stan Wawrinka, no Andy Murray. Here are our tennis picks for Friday:
Rafael Nadal vs. Kei Nishikori
Betting Odds: Nishikori -132
There is a line of thought which says that Nadal might have turned the corner with his confidence in the fourth round against Alexander Zverev. Nadal lost the first set in a tiebreaker, then won the second set easily, and then trailed 5-2 in the third set. Zverev served for the match and eventually earned a match point, but he blew an easy forehand volley on match point. Nadal was able to take advantage of that one error. He broke back and got the third set on serve. He was able to tie the set at 5-5 and then pull ahead to break for 6-5. Nadal served out the match, 7-5 in the third set, to win the kind of close-shave battle that had been going against him in recent weeks. Nadal is always known as a fighter, someone who competes to the very end. When the results stopped coming, though, Nadal really had to fight to believe in himself, and in recent weeks, he just hasn’t looked like the same old self who won 14 major championships and set new standards in men’s tennis.
Has Nadal truly reached a point where he can will himself to victory against everyone but Djokovic, or is he still a cut below where he used to be? His level of form still indicates that the latter idea is a little more credible than the former one. Nishikori should be in very good position to win this match. He would have to play poorly for Nadal to win. Nishikori in straight sets is the best pick here, though Rafa could take this into a third without too much of a shock factor coming into play.
Pick: Nishikori in straight sets
Novak Djokovic vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Betting Odds: Djokovic -833
This should be a match with some intrigue. Tsonga did defeat Djokovic on hardcourts when he won Toronto two years ago, but that was before Djokovic became the dynamite force he is right now. Djokovic exists on another level. There is no one who is ready to meet him on equal terms, especially with Roger Federer not yet back from injury. Djokovic stands in his own world, and while Tsonga certainly has the talent to beat him, the Frenchman rarely if ever shows the patience on his shots or the discipline in terms of tactics needed to outlast and outwit the World No. 1. Djokovic’s familiar combination of court coverage and consistency, combined with one of the best first-serve returns the sport has ever known, was built to frustrate opponents, especially those such as Tsonga, who love to attack but aren’t as willing to engage in a 20-stroke rally on his own serve. Djokovic should wear down Tsonga in straight sets.
Pick: Djokovic in straight sets
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