An intriguing opener on Day 1 in Indian Wells will pit Viktor Troicki against Alexandr Dolgopolov. Ryan Harrison and Damir Dzumhur are also on Thursday’s first-round schedule in what will be a rematch of a Memphis quarterfinal.
Alexandr Dolgopolov vs. Viktor Troicki
Troicki and Dolgopolov will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the first time in almost six full years when they clash in round one of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday. Both of their previous encounters have gone Troicki’s way; 6-7(4), 7-6(2), 6-1 on the hard courts of New Haven in 2010 and 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the 2011 French Open. The 39th-ranked Serb had been in contention for an Indian Wells seed, but consecutive first-round losses at 500-point events (to Richard Gasquet in Rotterdam and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Dubai) ended his hopes.
Dolgopolov started this season 1-4, but he is 7-2 in his last nine matches–including 7-1 not counting retirements (he pulled the plug early in last month’s Rio de Janeiro quarterfinals against Pablo Carreno Busta because of a hip injury). The 64th-ranked Ukrainian’s recent run features a title in Buenos Aires, where he ousted Carreno Busta, Pablo Cuevas, and Kei Nishikori along the way. Dolgopolov has dropped his opening match in the desert only once in six previous appearances and he reached the semis in 2014, so he has to like his chances of maintaining momentum.
Pick: Dolgopolov in 3
[polldaddy poll=9683866]
Damir Dzumhur vs. Ryan Harrison
Harrison and Dzumhur will be facing each other for the second time in their careers and for the second time during this American hard-court swing when they meet again on Thursday. They just squared off in the Memphis quarterfinals, a showdown taken by Harrison 6-3, 6-4 en route to his first-ever ATP title. The American, who registers just two spots off his career-high ranking at 45th in the world, is 7-2 at the ATP level this year and also captured a Challenger title in Dallas.
Dzumhur has been surprisingly relevant so far in 2017. In addition to his quarterfinal performance in Memphis, the world No. 67 from Bosnia and Herzegovina also faced Juan Martin Del Potro in the Argentine’s second match of the season (lost 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 in the Delray Beach second round) before making a run to the Dubai quarters that included an upset of Stan Wawrinka. Dzuhmur is playing well, but he struggled to come up with any offensive weapons necessary to hit through Harrison’s defense in Memphis–whereas Harrison has the serve and forehand firepower that can eventually wear down Dzumhur’s counter-punching.
Pick: Harrison in 3
[polldaddy poll=9683868]
Am not done with my picks yet, because am combining ATP, WTA and the NBA.
Am not a punctual man that’s my weakness, sometimes it because am working or waiting for the LINE of the game.
I have weakened so many lovely relationships because of my lack of punctuality, I NEED HELP.
Now getting back to business I like Ricky’s pick am not saying I agree with all of them because am not done with mine.
On a good day Ricky normally gets 70%-80% of his pick right and that’s not bad when you compare his picks with yours.
When am done with my picks my mission is to find the 20%-30% that would fail, I know that sounds negative & hard, some might even say that’s MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!
Well, am the guy that turns impossibilities into possibilities, you just have to ask around.
Wish you all the best in INDIAN WELLS!
“I NEED HELP.”
#CaptainObvious
I would love to see A. Dolgopolov, F. Tiafoe & R. Harrison win and when you look at their odds they are the favorites to win because their odds are low.
Odds can be deceptive at times but in this case I don’t think the are totally wrong because I think R. Harrison has what it takes win.
Picking this 3 players to win in my opinion is not the best pick because their opponents are competitive, dangerous and tough, the over/under in my opinion is the best pick.
Ricky picked this three players to win in 3 sets suggesting it might go OVER.
It might go under, but am looking at the first set over/under 9.5 I believe A. Dolgopolov vs V. Troicki would go over 9.5 in the 1set and the odd is far better.
Now there is something I call BURNING OF SLIPS, it’s were I play different slips with different picks, aiming at a particular odd with the same amount, the likelihood of you failing is low and winning HIGH if you’re smart, which I believe you guys are.
For example A. Dolgopolov vs V. Troicki in my 1st slip am going with the over 9.5 in the 1 set with other games as well.
In the 2nd= A.dolgopolov to win.
In the 3rd= over 22.5 games in total am not 100% about this pick.
In the 4th= V. Troicki to win just in case dolgopolov tanks.
Now I add this match with other matches from the NBA, SOCCER and sometimes I just stick with tennis, especially when there are a lot of matches to pick from, am not done with my predictions so.
CIAO!
I might even take the over 9.5 games in the first slip and the third slip am not comfortable with the over 22.5 games in total not saying it won’t come through, am just confident in the 1 set.
If it goes under am going to waterboard V. Troicki.
That’s a sick sentiment on several levels.