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Match details
Fixture: (8) Casper Ruud vs (Q) Christopher Eubanks.
Date: 12 March 2022.
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open.
Round: Second round (Round of 64).
Venue: Indian Wells, USA.
Category: ATP Masters 1000.
Surface: Hardcourt.
Prize money: $8,584,055.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Voot.
Casper Ruud vs Christopher Eubanks preview
Eighth seed Casper Ruud will take on Christopher Eubanks in the second round of the 2022 BNP Paribas Open on Saturday.
Ruud comes into the tournament relatively high on confidence. After ending 2021 at a career-high ranking of World No. 8, the Norwegian has continued his strong run of form this season despite injury setbacks.
Ruud missed out on the Australian Open due to an ankle injury, returning to the courts on clay in Buenos Aires. The 23-year-old picked up his first title of the year in Argentina, defeating Diego Schwartzman in the final.
The Norwegian next contested in the Davis Cup tie against Kazakhstan, where he defeated Mikhail Kukushkin and lost to Alexander Bublik.
Eubanks is a relatively unknown entity on the ATP tour. The American is ranked 157th and has qualified for only one tournament so far, in Doha earlier this year. He entered the Indian Wells main draw after picking up two impressive wins in qualifying against Feliciano Lopez and Joao Sousa.
Eubanks began his campaign in Indian Wells with a tight 5-7, 7-6(8), 6-4 win over Melbourne Summer Set 1 finalist Maxime Cressy.
Casper Ruud vs Christopher Eubanks head-to-head
The second-round encounter at Indian Wells will be the first tour-level match between Ruud and Eubanks, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Casper Ruud vs Christopher Eubanks prediction
Ruud is the overwhelming favorite to win this encounter. The Norwegian has emerged as one of the best claycourt players on tour over the past few years but he has also established himself on hardcourt.
The Norwegian reached the quarterfinals of four hardcourt Masters 1000 events last year. He also picked up his first hardcourt title last year in San Diego and will be looking to build on that success with a deep run at Indian Wells.
His forehand is a huge weapon, and his serve enables him to set up points. His backhand, once a liability, is now a tool in his arsenal.
Eubanks has a strong serve and forehand but he is highly inconsistent and prone to leaking errors. Given Ruud's recent form, it is highly unlikely he will bow out this early at Indian Wells.
Prediction: Casper Ruud to win in straight sets.
