BNP Paribas Open: Kevin Anderson vs. Jordan Thompson 10/07/21 Tennis Prediction

Experienced and former Grand Slam finalist, Kevin Anderson, meets relatively unknown Australian, Jordan Thompson, in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday, October 7th, 2021.

Will we see a strong win by Kevin Anderson as he aims to find the form he knows he can play with, and the form he has shown in some tournaments this summer, or will Jordan Thompson come out here and get a bit win by causing the upset?

Jordan Thompson has been struggling a lot this year with form, not finding the necessary form to help him reach the later stages of tournaments (especially ATP 250 tournaments) as he is losing the form necessary to remain a mainstay on the ATP Tour. Jordan has a good game overall, but he does not have one specific asset which makes him stand out in matches against opponents. However, he will need to find the form he needs very quickly as he has a very tough draw right from the start.

Kevin Anderson has been playing strongly this summer, winning the Hall of Fame Open and going somewhat far in tournaments, showing that he is making steps towards improving his ranking after his injuries which plagued his last few seasons. Kevin is a great player in these conditions, utilizing his huge serve and forehand to get on top of points early and getting himself into advantageous positions quickly. Anderson will know that he has a good chance to go far in Indian Wells.

Both players are very similarly ranked at the moment and have met 2 times before, with Kevin Anderson having won both of their prior matches. Jordan Thompson has won more matches this year, however, Kevin Anderson has shown more promise in the last few months, winning a title along the way. In these hard court conditions, Kevin has the advantage through his big assets, and Jordan will have to hope for a bad day from the South African if he is to cause the upset.