Richard Gasquet will go up against Jerzy Janowicz in a tough third-round matchup on Monday in Indian Wells. Gilles Simon and Kevin Anderson are also in action.
(10) Richard Gasquet vs. (24) Jerzy Janowicz
Gasquet and Janowicz will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they collide in round three of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday. Both men are playing stellar tennis at the moment. Gasquet already owns two titles for his 2013 campaign, in Doha and in Montpellier. Perhaps fatigued, the 10th-ranked Frenchman lost early in both Rotterdam and Marseille, but he improved his season record to an awesome 16-3 by defeating Bernard Tomic 7-6(1), 6-2 on Saturday.
Janowicz is not quite as on fire as he was when he reached the Paris Masters final last fall, but he is still on top of his game. The 24th-ranked Pole already boasts seven wins at the ATP level this year having previously won 20 in his entire career. Janowicz kicked off his Indian Wells campaign in round two by holding off David Nalbandian 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3. As well as Gasquet is playing, the match really isn’t in his hands against a power player like Janowicz. The 10th seed’s confidence may be slightly shaken after his last two events and seeing Janowicz on the other side of the net won’t improve his psyche.
Pick: Janowicz in 3
(13) Gilles Simon vs. Benoit Paire
Simon and Paire will be meeting for the third time in their careers and for the second time this season. Paire has won both of their previous encounters; 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 two years ago in Rotterdam and 7-5, 7-6(4) last month in Montpellier. The world No. 40 will have a good chance at another upset because he is in solid form this year. Paire has nine ATP victories after taking out Lukasz Kubot and Philipp Kohlschreiber so far in Indian Wells.
This all-French matchup almost did not come to fruition, as Simon survived a major scare in his opener on Saturday. The 13th seed trailed Paolo Lorenzi 5-1 in the third set and saved match points in two different games before winning the last six games of the match. Simon is 12-5 for his 2013 campaign, which includes two quarterfinal showings along with a pair of semifinals. Based on head-to-head series and the fact that Paire can get hot with a few wins under his belt, you have to like the underdog’s chances.
Pick: Paire in 3
Jarkko Nieminen vs. Kevin Anderson
Nieminen and Anderson will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers when they do battle on Monday. Anderson is dominating the head-to-head series 3-0 and all three of his victories have come on hard courts. He prevailed twice last season; 6-2, 7-6(4) at the Shanghai Masters and 7-6(4), 6-3 just a few weeks later in Basel.
An elbow injury halted Anderson just when he was playing some of the best tennis of his career earlier this year, but he is back on track in Indian Wells. The 6’8” South African, a finalist in Sydney and a fourth-round finisher at the Australian Open, has ousted Victor Hanescu and David Ferrer so far in Indian Wells. Nieminen survived Igor Sijsling in round one then bludgeoned Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-0 on Saturday. The Finn is also playing well, but clearly this is not a good matchup for him–especially not with his opponent in this kind of form.
Pick: Anderson in 2
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