Indian Wells 2022: Casper Ruud vs Nick Kyrgios preview, head-to-head & prediction | BNP Paribas Open

Match details

Fixture: (8) Casper Ruud vs Nick Kyrgios

Date: 14 March 2022

Tournament: BNP Paribas Open

Round: Third round (Round of 32)

Venue: Indian Wells, California, USA

Category: ATP 1000

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Prize money: $8,369,455

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Casper Ruud vs Nick Kyrgios preview

The third round of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open will see Casper Ruud take on Nick Kyrgios in a highly anticipated encounter on Monday.

Ruud, the eighth seed, came into the tournament with virtually no match practice on hardcourt. The Norwegian played in the ATP Cup, but a minor injury forced him to pull out of the Australian Open.

Ruud lifted the title at the Argentina Open and eked out a tight two-set win over Christopher Eubanks in his first match at Indian Wells. He will be looking to continue his winning run at the Masters 1000 event.

Kyrgios at the 2022 BNP Paribas Open

Kyrgios is also playing in just his second singles main draw of the season. The Aussie, who was given a wildcard into the tournament, scored resounding wins over Sebastian Baez and Federico Delbonis to book his spot in the third round.

Kyrgios does not possess the best record at Indian Wells, but did reach the quarterfinals back in 2017 scoring big wins over Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.

Casper Ruud vs Nick Kyrgios head-to-head

Ruud leads Kyrgios 1-0 in their current head-to-head, having taken a win at the 2019 Rome Masters. The Aussie was defaulted from the match after throwing a chair on the court.

Casper Ruud vs Nick Kyrgios prediction

Ruud has a 2-1 record at Indian Wells

Casper Ruud has looked comfortable at Indian Wells so far. The heavy playing conditions are well-suited for his topspin-heavy game.

The Norwegian served particularly well in his first match. He did not face any break points and dropped just five points on his first serve. He will need to post similar numbers to come out on top against Kyrgios.

The Aussie's flashy brand of tennis has worked well for him this week. He has been patchy at times, but has managed to play the big points well. Much like Ruud, he has been brilliant on serve.

The encounter will pit Ruud's consistent baseline hitting against Kyrgios' versatality. The Norwegian's affinity for the court conditions, however, should help him sail through in the end.

Prediction: Casper Ruud to win in three sets

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Also Check Out: Indian Wells Masters 2022 Results