BNP Paribas Open Saturday Tips: Goodbye Lleyton

Events / Ben Caudell / 14 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

Aussie star should pack his bags, says Ben Caudell in his daily betting preview of the action from Indian Wells.

Yesterday's tips were a success. Nicole Vaidisova won convincingly against Alona Bondarenko 6-3 6-1 completing an astounding 85% of her first serves and 70% of her second serves. The rejuvenated young Czech now faces Jill Craybas in the third round, if she wins this there is a potential match-up with number one seed Dinara Safina in the fourth round. I think we can all agree that Nicole has finally discarded her confidence issues of late and is now back to the form she was in two years ago with the potential to beat any of the top ten world ranked WTA players.

And there was more joy following a tough battle between Sorana Cirstea and Elena Vesnina. The young Russian eventually won 5-7 6-2 6-3 against her dogged French opponent and now sets he sights of reaching the fourth round.

Today's Selections:

Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v Sregiy Stakhovsky (UKR)

Karlovic is surprisingly the favourite to win this match, even though the Ukrainian has a 2-0 head-to-head record against the towering Croatian. Both these wins have been on the indoor hard courts, a surface you would think would suit Karlovic's service game. On the slower outdoor plexicusion Sregiy Stakhovsky will have more chances to break the ace maverick therefore I can see him winning in three sets.

Selection: Lay Ivo Karlovic 2-0 win @ [3.3]


Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) v Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)

Gonzalez has won the last three matches against the contempt Australian, including a win on Hewitt's home turf at the Australian Open in January. Hewitt is struggling with mixing work and family life at the moment, his tennis career is slowly coming to an end with more important commitments taking centre stage in his life.

Selection: Back Fernando Gonzalez @ [1.7] to win match.