Indian Wells Betting: Gilbert wisdom is key to Kei

Events / Sean Calvert / 11 March 2011 / 1

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

Nishikori is benefiting from the wisdom and street-wise coaching of Brad Gilbert

"These two players’ careers look to be heading in opposite directions at the moment, with Nishikori benefiting from the wisdom of Brad Gilbert, whose input seems to be having a positive effect on the 21-year-old."

Sean Calvert picks the best bet from today's action at Indian Wells.

Flying Finn, Jarkko Nieminen, got us off to a winning start at Indian Wells yesterday, and with the big names still playing doubles until tomorrow it's another chance for some of the lower seeded players to make their mark.

And the one I'm concentrating on today from a betting perspective is Igor Andreev against Kei Nishikori.

This one is scheduled for around 7pm UK time on Friday and it should prove to be another win for the talented Japanese, Nishikori at around [1.55].

These two players' careers look to be heading in opposite directions at the moment, with Nishikori benefiting from the wisdom of Brad Gilbert, whose input seems to be having a positive effect on the 21-year-old.

A semi final effort in Delray Beach in his last event backed up a decent show in Melbourne (where he beat Florian Mayer before coming up short against Fernando Verdasco) and these are good signs for Nishikori, whose best form is on outdoor hard.

Andreev on the other hand, has slid down the rankings alarmingly to only just inside the top-100 (from a high of 18) and his 2011 has carried on in the same manner as the previous year - poorly.

The Russian managed to dispatch Filippo Volandri in Melbourne, but given that the Italian has won just two of his 17 hard court matches in the last four years, that isn't saying much.

He's been beaten in his last three events in the first round by players outside the top-100 and was thrashed by Robin Soderling in the Davis Cup last week before scraping past semi-retired Joachim Johansson, the world number 749, in a dead rubber.

Another point of note regarding Andreev is that he's only won twice in the last two years when he didn't start as favourite for a match and in the same time frame, he's lost when favourite 18 times.

Indian Wells was never a happy hunting ground for Andreev when he was a top-20 player and playing well. He's lost in the first round four times out of six here. Back Nishikori to make that five from seven.

Recommended bet:

Back Nishikori to beat Andreev at [1.55]

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

(1)

Tom | 11 March 2011

With the events in Japan today, he could tank and no one would blame him.

Backing Kei at any where near 1.55 could be fatal