Indian Wells gets up and running today and features Marcos Baghdatis, Mardy Fish and Borna Coric. The Tennis Review previews the action and predicts the winners on day one of the season’s first ATP 1000 event.
Marcos Baghdatis Vs Jiri Vesely
The veteran takes on the the up and comer for the second time in their careers, with Baghdatis leading the head to head 1-0. His previous win came on hard courts at Delray beach, a match he won in 3 sets. In 2014, he also beat Vesely on hard in the qualifying round of Geneva.
Each time, the Cypriot’s return of serve has been too good for the big serving Vesely and Baghdatis, one of the game’s great shotmakers, has had too much game for the still developing 21 year old who needs his serve to be at its best if he is to stand a chance.
Baghdatis is not only a bad match-up for Vesely, he also has form on his side. While Baghdatis is ranked 61 to Vesely’s 45, the Cypriot is having a better 2015, compiling a 6-3 win-loss record and beating David Goffin twice. Meanwhile, Vesely is 6-6 and has not won a match since his impressive title run at Auckland.
Baghdatis has history at Indian Wells, too. In 2010 he beat then world No. 1 Federer in a third set tiebreaker. Those memories should inspire the 2006 Australian Open runner up, one of the game’s biggest talents and biggest big match players.
Prediction: A 2-0 head to head lead on hard, a better recent run, and history in the Californian desert make it hard not to go with Baghdatis in straights.
Watch highlights of Baghdatis’ 2010 victory over Roger Federer below
Ryan Harrison Vs Mardy Fish
Fish leads Harrison 3-0. However, Fish has not played on the ATP Tour since Winston Salem 2013 due to anxiety attacks.
Harrison, ranked 110, has been playing well recently, making the semi-finals of Acapulco where he beat Dimitrov and Karlovic.
While the heart may want Fish to win at the venue where he reached the 2009 final, beating Federer on the way, the head says Harrison’s recent good form will be the deciding factor against a man who has not played on the pro tour for 18 months.
Prediction: Harrison wins in straight sets.
Borna Coric Vs Andreas Haider-Maurer
These two are close in the rankings with Coric at 60 and the 27 year old at 56.
Maurer’s best results have come on clay while Coric has had his best career results, including wins over Nadal and Murray, on the tour’s faster courts of Basel (Indoor hard) and Dubai.
Coric saved three match points in his final qualifying round yesterday, beating local hope Fratangelo in a third set breaker. Coric survived the brutal desert sun, an inspired opponent and an excitable home crowd to get that win, and it is easy to see that experience, and his better hard court form, helping him grab his first win in the main draw of an ATP 1000 event.
Prediction: Coric to win in straights.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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