Tennis best bets for Day 5 of the action at Indian Wells
If you’re looking for more BNP Paribas Open tennis best bets for the "fifth major," you undoubtedly came to the right place. We’re breaking down some of our favorite picks at Indian Wells for Sunday, March 12th, and we’re confident that we’re pointing you in the right direction. Keep reading for our tennis predictions for the day and make sure you keep coming back for more!
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on March 12
Alejandro Tabilo vs. Jordan Thompson
On paper, Thompson has done some impressive things this week. The Australian earned a straight-set win over Gael Monfils in the first round, and he followed it up with a victory over world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas. That was, however, Monfils’ first match in almost six months. And this is a tournament that doesn’t suit Tsitsipas’ game very well. On top of that, the Greek star is dealing with a shoulder injury. With that in mind, we wouldn’t suggest getting too carried away with Thompson’s run.
These conditions also happen to make Tabilo a very dangerous opponent. If you’ve been reading this column throughout the week, you’re probably sick of hearing that this is a hard-court tournament that plays more like clay. But this is a hard-court tournament that plays more like clay. Knowing that, it’s hard not to turn to Tabilo here.
Not only has Tabilo already played 10 clay-court matches this year, but the Chilean also has four wins under his belt at Indian Wells already. Tabilo grinded his way through qualifiers and has now won back-to-back matches in the main draw — without dropping a set in either. He should be a lot more at home on a slow court, making this a must-play at these odds.
Bet: Tabilo ML (+105)
Petra Kvitova vs. Jelena Ostapenko
This is a matchup that should be really interesting to watch, as these are two of the best ball-strikers on the WTA Tour. The difference between the two is that Kvitova is a little stronger mentally. We have seen Ostapenko have numerous on-court meltdowns over the years, and anything can set her off. Whether it’s a few unforced errors or a couple of Hawk-Eye calls she disagrees with, it’s hard to trust her to fully focus on a match.
Kvitova is also the better mover between these two at the moment, with Ostapenko not being as fit as usual coming into this event. That should help the lefty win some extended rallies, especially considering her rally tolerance is stronger than Ostapenko’s to begin with.
It also doesn’t hurt that Kvitova won 6-3, 6-2 when these two met last June. That was a grass-court match, but it was so lopsided that it’s hard to ignore. This one might be a little tighter, but we’re rolling with the veteran to prevail here.
Bet: Kvitova ML (-105)