As the “Fifth Grand Slam” gets into full swing, Thursday’s schedule at the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells Masters 1000) features a decent mix of established stars fighting for form and newcomers looking to make their mark here in Tennis Paradise. Here are two standout matches to watch later today, along with a short preview and our betting predictions.
Terence Atmane vs. Grigor Dimitrov
- Time: 11:00 AM (Stadium 1)
- Head-to-Head: Tied 1-1
This is a rematch of their encounter just last week in Acapulco, where the Frenchman Atmane stunned the veteran Bulgarian in straight sets.
Grigor Dimitrov, still struggling a bit in his return from injuries from last season and he enters today on a worrying four-match losing streak. For the 34-year-old, Indian Wells has historically been a good event though (semifinalist in 2021), but he must find his rhythm early to avoid another early exit.
Terence Atmane, meanwhile, is in good form. At 24, the left-handed Frenchman recently hit a career-high ranking of No. 52 and has shown he isn’t intimidated by big names. His aggressive baseline play and lefty serve gave Dimitrov problems in Mexico. If Atmane can keep his composure he has a good chance for another win today.
Predictions and our best bets for Atmane vs Dimitrov
I can see this one going to three sets and I like the odds of 1.93 (-110) for a hcp bet +1.5 on Atmane.
Hubert Hurkacz vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic
- Time: Not before 1:00 PM (Stadium 2)
- Head-to-Head: First Meeting
A clash of styles awaits as Poland’s “Hubi” Hurkacz faces off against the rising American Aleksandar Kovacevic in their first-ever professional meeting.
Hubert Hurkacz has seen his ranking slip to No. 71 following a season plagued by inconsistency. However, his serve remains one of the most lethal weapons in the game. On the relatively slow hard courts of Indian Wells, Hurkacz will need to use that serve to set up quick points and prevent Kovacevic from getting into a groove.
Aleksandar Kovacevic (No. 72) represents the “new wave” of American talent. Known for his classic one-handed backhand and high-energy play, Kovacevic will have the vocal California crowd firmly behind him and will hope he can force Hurkacz into long rallies.
Predictions and our best bets for Hurkacz vs Kovacevic
This meeting features two players that are not really in great form and we’ve seen inconsistent results for both of them lately.
It’s tough to predict but I think Hurkacz has the slightly higher level overall and Kovacevic is yet to win a match in Indian Wells (0-4 total).
Hurkacz to win in two sets, one in tie-break.