tennisnet.com ATP

ATP Masters Indian Wells: Basilashvili against Norrie for greatest career title

Nikoloz Basilashvili and Cameron Norrie will contest the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells. For both players it's about the biggest title of their careers.

by tennisnet.com
last edit: Oct 17, 2021, 06:48 am

Nikoloz Basilashvili is in the final in Indian Wells
© Getty Images
Nikoloz Basilashvili is in the final in Indian Wells

Even before the two semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells, it was clear: There would be a surprise winner in the desert classic, which was moved to the autumn. For the first time in the history of the event, no top 25 player made it into the semi-finals. And now for the first time a Georgian and a Briton have the chance to win the tennis paradise title. Because after Cameron Norrie was able to defeat Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, Nikoloz Basilashvili did the same against Taylor Fritz.

Basilashvili won 7: 6 (5) and 6: 3 and is playing for his third title of the year after Doha and Munich, for Norrie there could be the second championship in 2021 after the one in Los Cabos. A success against Basilashvili would also bring Norrie back into a promising position in the Race to Turin.

skyiw

Norrie wins only meeting with Basilashvili

Basilashvili showed strong nerves at his meeting with Fritz, who had defeated Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals: He fended off three set balls from his opponent in the first round, Fritz could not use a single one of a total of seven break chances. Fritz had two of them in the very last game of the second semi-final. Basilashvili's run of success is all the more surprising since he was knocked out in the first round of five of the six 1000s tournaments in which he had participated this season.

According to the only previous comparison, Cameron Norrie must be the favorite for this final. Because the left-hander won the match in Rotterdam 6-0 and 6-3 at the beginning of the year.

Here the single tableau in Indian Wells

iwmap

by tennisnet.com

Sunday
Oct 17, 2021, 07:45 am
last edit: Oct 17, 2021, 06:48 am