The Miami Open tennis tournament from Crandon Park Tennis Center goes into the fourth round and so do our tennis picks. It’s been very noticeable that not a lot of high-seeded players have been able to survive into this stage of the tournament. Yesterday, we saw the likes of Gael Monfils, Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov, Andrey Kuznetsov, Roberto Bautista and Kei Nishikori advance. The two players that failed to move on were two big surprises, though. Andy Murray fell to Dimitrov in three sets while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost to Bautista, also in three sets.
The high-seeded players who are left have their work cut out for them and need to be on guard against an upset.
Novak Djokovic vs. Dominic Thiem
Betting Odds: Djokovic -1000
This is a matchup which is going to draw some interest, given that Thiem has won over 20 matches in the young tennis season and is offering a fair amount of evidence that he could be one of the next really great players in a few years’ time. Thiem generates so much power on his groundstrokes and puts pressure on opponents early in points. Keeping the ball in the court with an aggressive game is nothing new or revolutionary in tennis; you just have to be adept at executing shots over and over again, and Thiem has demonstrated more aptitude than most of his age-specific peers. Among the younger players on tour, he’s beginning to move a few steps ahead of them. This is why Thiem is viewed so favorably as a prospect for future major championships.
Is he ready now, though? This is where some limitations have to come into the picture. Djokovic is the only member of the so-called “Big Four” (with Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Roger Federer) to still be around entering Tuesday. Nadal and Murray have been knocked out, and Federer had to pull out with a stomach flu before his tournament started last week. Djokovic won Indian Wells, and he did so without much of any problem in the final against Milos Raonic. There’s just no reason to bet against Djokovic these days. He offers no real opening for bettors to make the opposite play. He should win in straights, so take him with your tennis picks.
Pick: Djokovic in straight sets
Andrey Kuznetsov vs. Nick Kyrgios
Betting Odds: Kyrgios -345
This is a match in which Kuznetsov should be applauded for getting this far, but Kyrgios is the player who should be considered the favorite. Kyrgios, remember, won his first tour title a month ago in France. He is hitting the ball confidently, and having made his way into the middle rounds of this tournament, he should be in good form with a clean rhythm. A tough opponent is needed to take him out, and while Kuznetsov is certainly playing well, he’s not that upper-level player who will probably bother Kyrgios or take him out of his rhythm. This is just not a matchup where a bettor will say that Kyrgios is especially vulnerable. He should be able to dictate the way the match is played and do enough as a returner to eventually break Kuznetsov’s serve. It’s doubtful if Kuznetsov can break Kyrgios. Go with Kyrgios for your tennis picks.
Pick: Kyrgios in straight sets
Kei Nishikori vs. Roberto Bautista Agut
Betting Odds: Nishikori -417
This is an interesting match, primarily because Nishikori played very poorly against Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells two weeks ago. Nishikori has not risen in the ranks or threatened the best players the way some thought he might when he made the 2014 U.S. Open final. Bautista Agut is a tough, relentless player who will make Nishikori work for every point. Nishikori should be the kind of player who will win in straights against Bautista Agut, but he might not be playing well enough to do that. This will probably go three, but it remains hard to pick against Nishikori. Take him with your tennis picks.
Pick: Nishikori in three sets
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