Indian Wells Bets: The stats point to Nieminen

Events / Sean Calvert / 10 March 2011 /

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">

Left-hander Nieminen hasn't lost a match as the pre-game favourite for a long, long time

"Istomin has also been in poor form of late, having lost to the likes of Jan Hernych and Matthew Ebden in 2011, while Nieminen hasn't lost a completed match in which he was the betting favourite since Metz in the autumn of last year – 12 tournaments ago."

It may not be the most high-profile match from today's action but this one provides one of the best betting opportunities...

he first Masters Series 1000 event of 2011 begins today in Indian Wells, California with, it must be said, a set of first round encounters that are unlikely to raise pulses in the stifling desert conditions.

The standout match of the day in terms of big names is by a mile Juan Martin Del Potro versus Radek Stepanek. But despite the 2-0 head-to-head record in favour of the Czech, the Argentine is a very short [1.22] for the win, which doesn't appeal.

Instead, I'm focussing on one of the later matches, which begins tonight (UK time) and that is Jarkko Nieminen against Denis Istomin.

I like the chances of the Finn in this one at around [1.62] to take out the struggling Moscow-based Uzbekistan star.

After missing most of 2009 with a wrist injury that saw his ranking eventually fall to number 132, Nieminen is back into the top-50 and proved he can still be a force on his day when beating David Ferrer in Rotterdam last month.

The tricky left hander should prove to be a frustrating opponent for the baseline, ball-bashing style of Istomin, who won't be able to dominate on the relatively slow Indian Wells surface; the fact that he has lost seven of his nine matches against left handers adds to the appeal of a Nieminen win.

Istomin has also been in poor form of late, having lost to the likes of Jan Hernych and Matthew Ebden in 2011, while Nieminen hasn't lost a completed match in which he was the betting favourite since Metz in the autumn of last year - 12 tournaments ago.

The Finn warmed up for this with a couple of solid wins on clay in the Davis Cup and is a former quarter finalist at Indian Wells, while today's opponent has played just the one match here, a qualifier, which he lost to Bobby Reynolds. So experience of the conditions
favour Nieminen too...

Recommended bet:

Back Nieminen to beat Istomin at [1.62]

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>