Indian Wells 2021: Grigor Dimitrov vs Cameron Norrie preview, head-to-head & prediction | BNP Paribas Open

Fixture: (23) Grigor Dimitrov vs (21) Cameron Norrie

Date: 16 October 2021

Tournament: BNP Paribas Open

Round: Semifinal

Venue: Indian Wells, USA

Category: ATP 1000

Surface: Hardcourt

Prize money: $9,146,125

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Grigor Dimitrov vs Cameron Norrie preview

Grigor Dimitrov and Cameron Norrie upset higher-ranked opponents in their respective quarterfinals to book a last-four showdown at the BNP Paribas Open.

Dimitrov, the 23rd seed, was made to work hard by Hubert Hurkacz. The Bulgarian came from a set down to take out the eighth seed in a third-set tiebreaker.

The win came on the heels of Dimitrov's stunning upset of top seed Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round. Needless to say, the 30-year-old will enter the semifinal contest brimming with confidence.

Norrie, meanwhile, put up a dominant display against Diego Schwartzman in his last match. The Brit dropped just two games, racing to a 6-0, 6-2 victory in just an hour and 13 minutes.

Norrie is in the midst of a career-best season. He has made it to five ATP finals, lifting the trophy in Los Cabos. His run to the semifinals at Indian Wells has guaranteed him a spot in the top 20 when the rankings are updated next week. The 26-year-old will not be content with just that, however, and will be keen to get his hands on his maiden Masters 1000 title.

Grigor Dimitrov vs Cameron Norrie head-to-head

Cameron Norrie leads Grigor Dimitrov in their current head-to-head by a slender 1-0 margin. The Brit beat the Bulgarian in two tight sets at the Miami Open earlier this year.

Grigor Dimitrov vs Cameron Norrie prediction

Grigor Dimitrov started the year brilliantly by reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, after which he suffered a drastic dip in form.

The Bulgarian entered the BNP Paribas Open with an underwhelming 18-15 win-loss record for the season, but has turned his fortunes around brilliantly at Indian Wells. He now finds himself just one victory away from a first ATP final in nearly three years.

Dimitrov's well-rounded game has worked wonders this week as he has managed to keep his opponents on their toes. His ability to mix delicate dropshots and slices with powerful groundstrokes caught even top seed Medvedev off guard.

In the shape of Cameron Norrie, though, Dimitrov faces a tenacious opponent. The Brit has the ability to put up a wall of defense, and rarely gives away points cheaply.

The match will pit Dimitrov's power and versatility against Norrie's steadfast defense. If the Bulgarian can produce the level that he did in his last two matches, he may just have too much firepower for his opponent to handle.

Prediction: Grigor Dimitrov to win in three sets