The first semifinal of the ATP Indian Wells Masters features Grigor Dimitrov and Cameron Norrie. Dimitrov has scored two of the most impressive wins of this tournament, while Norrie has been rock solid and has taken down multiple grinders to reach the final four. The winner of this match will certainly have to earn it, as both players have made it clear they are not going to give an inch. In this round of tennis predictions from Indian Wells, we examine Dimitrov vs Norrie and give our best bet for this semifinal showdown.
Grigor Dimitrov vs Cameron Norrie
Why bet on Cameron Norrie:
✅ These two players have spent a similar amount of time on court in this tournament, with Dimitrov being out there for close to an hour less than Norrie. But Dimitrov has had his two most grueling matches in the round of 16 and quarterfinals. He needed three sets to beat Daniil Medvedev and three to beat Hubert Hurkacz. Norrie, meanwhile, just beat Diego Schwartzman in under an hour and 15 minutes.
✅ Both of these players have just one loss on their records since the US Open, with both losing to Casper Ruud in San Diego two weeks ago. But Norrie’s loss to Ruud came in the final, and he will be poised to reach a second final in as many tournaments by beating Dimitrov here.
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✅ Norrie has won the only meeting in the Dimitrov vs Norrie series all-time, taking Dimitrov down in straight sets in this year’s Miami Masters in March. On a similarly slow surface, Norrie should be able to get the job done again in the Indian Wells semifinals.
Grigor Dimitrov
Grigor Dimitrov rolled through his first two matches at Indian Wells, getting rid of Daniel Altmaier and Reilly Opelka in straight sets. But he has had to grind to stay in the tournament from there, coming back from a set down against both Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz to claim his spot in the semifinals. With wins over two of the top choices to win this event going in, Dimitrov has got to like his chances against Cam Norrie.
It has been Dimitrov’s ability to get balls back to his opponent and play high percentage tennis that has brought him this far this week. Opelka, Medvedev and Hurkacz all faltered in key moments against Dimitrov, who has simply been able to wait them out with his defending when he has needed to. And with a first serve percentage of 70% or higher in each of his last two matches, Dimitrov has done a good job of putting himself in advantageous positions.
Cameron Norrie
Cam Norrie needed three sets in each of his first three matches to advance in this tournament. He needed three sets to beat Tennys Sandgren, Roberto Bautista-Agut and Tommy Paul to reach the quarterfinals. But Norrie had the easiest match he could have hoped for in the quarters, beating an out of sorts Diego Schwartzman in straight sets in a match that barely took an hour to complete.
Norrie’s matches against Bautista-Agut and Schwartzman could serve as great practice before taking on someone like Dimitrov. Both of those previous conquests by Norrie are, like Dimitrov, players who hang their hat on their ability to constantly get balls back to their opponents and their variety of shots. If Norrie can play the way he has against them when he faces Dimitrov, he could arrive at his first career Masters 1000 final.