Indian Wells 2021: Jannik Sinner vs John Isner preview, head-to-head & prediction | BNP Paribas Open
Match details
Fixture: (10) Jannik Sinner vs (20) John Isner
Date: 12 October 2021
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Indian Wells, USA
Category: ATP 1000
Surface: Hardcourt
Prize money: $9,146,125
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Jannik Sinner vs John Isner preview
Jannik Sinner and John Isner will face each other at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday, in a repeat of their third-round encounter at this year's Cincinnati Masters.
Sinner, the 10th seed, lost to his American opponent in a tight three-set battle on that occasion, and will be eager to level the record. The youngster opened his Indian Wells campaign with a solid 6-2, 6-2 win over John Millman on Sunday; he has now won his last five matches, having also lifted the trophy at Sofia last week.
John Isner, meanwhile, came into Indian Wells having lost his last two hardcourt matches. In fact, the win over Sinner in Cincinnati was the last time Isner had registered a win prior to this week.
In his first match at Indian Wells on Sunday, the American beat Yoshihito Nishioka 6-4, 6-3. He will now be looking to stage a deep run at his home event.
Jannik Sinner vs John Isner head-to-head
John Isner leads Jannik Sinner in the head-to-head with a 1-0 margin. The meeting in Cincinnati is the only time that the two have played each other, where Isner won 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-4.
Jannik Sinner vs John Isner prediction
Both Jannik Sinner and John Isner were strong on serve in their respective opening round encounters. Isner, however, hammered down 13 aces in comparison to just three by Sinner.
The American fought both the slow court conditions and a tennacious opponent in his opening match. He would have been extremely pleased with his performance, especially since he didn't require any tiebreakers.
Isner will once again rely on his first serve when he takes on Sinner, in a bid to win a few easy points. But given the slow and heavy conditions coupled with the Italian's returning prowess, he will likely have a harder time in that department.
Sinner, on his part, can generate a lot of power off the ground, and he will step out looking to be the aggressor. And although he has made a few early exits during the North American hardcourt swing this season, he looked much sharper during the course of his title run in Sofia.
If the youngster can sustain a high level of aggression and keep the error count in check, he should be able to walk away with a win in this one.
Prediction: Jannik Sinner to win in three sets.