Confident Kyrgios value to upset odds

ATP Indian Wells Masters
Sky Sports 3, 7pm Friday

WTA Indian Wells Open
BT Sport 2, 2am Saturday

Aussie firebrand Nick Krygios continued his impressive form when he dispatched Novak Djokovic in the last 16 of the ATP BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and he should not be discounted when he faces Roger Federer in a potentially epic quarter-final clash.

Kyrgios’s temperament has led many to suggest that he may never deliver on his extraordinary talent but the 21-year-old harnessed his emotions positively to beat Djokovic in straight sets, relishing the big stage.

And opponents do not come much bigger than Roger Federer.
The Swiss legend was in imperious form when beating Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-3 in a rematch of the Australian Open final but he could find Kyrgios tough to stop if the Aussie takes to the court in the same form.

He served magnificently on Wednesday, winning 86 per cent of points behind his first serve and firing in 14 aces. Djokovic is a magnificent returner but struggled against the Kyrgios barrage.

Kyrgios, who gets fired up by the prospect of facing top players, won his only previous meeting with Federer at the 2015 Madrid Masters and he might be the man to end Federer’s run at the Tennis Garden.

In the women’s draw, Karolina Pliskova, who reached the semi-finals last year in California, is 8-13 to go one better when she faces Russian battler Svetlana Kuznetsova for a spot in Sunday’s final.

Recommendation
N Kyrgios
2pts 6-4 general