BNP Paribas Open Men’s Final
Stan Wawrinka vs Roger Federer
The inevitable has finally happened.
After Federer defeated Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, online gambling pundits have made it known that only Stan Wawrinka remains in his way for a second 2017 trophy.
And here they are now, prepared to write another chapter to their rivalry as they both eye to win the Indian Wells Masters title.
Betting websites have Federer as the heavy favourite with betting odds of 1.44 while his Swiss compatriot Wawrinka is at 2.72. However, these two have contested some close matches through the years, and this one could be no different.
Both players are coming from a dominating semi-final win, with Federer ousting American star Jack Sock and Wawrinka needing just 65 minutes to finish Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta. They are also serving well, especially Federer who is yet to lose serve and a set during the tournament.
Wawrinka, meanwhile, has struggled to find some consistency in the early rounds, but he played his best game against Carreño Busta where he won 80 percent of his first serve points and 76 percent of his second serve points while not having to face any breakpoint.
Federer will certainly try to stay aggressive and keep the rallies short against the big-hitting Wawrinka, and with his improved backhand swing, he has a weapon which can rattle the rhythm of the 31-year-old World No.3.
However, if Wawrinka can continue playing clean tennis and lessen his errors, he has a real shot of stopping the Fed Express in the finals.
The smart money will always be on Federer in every final he plays, but Wawrinka cannot be counted out as he has proven himself as a big stage player who always shines when it matters most. Federer has a 19-3 record against Wawrinka, winning the last three matches including their Australian Open semi-final match last January. Nonetheless, Wawrinka won their only finals meeting last 2014.
The Swiss Maestro will find some solace from the fact that he is 14-0 on hard court against the man he calls ‘Stanimal,’ though the latter has been on a tear of his own as he won 10 of his last 12 matches on the said surface.
Expect an instant classic in this match which could go the distance, and if you are willing to take some risk, you could benefit from betting on Wawrinka on Game Handicap +3.00 @ 1.88.
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
