Indian Wells Prediction: Nishesh Basavareddy vs Yunchaokete Bu
March 5, 2025 at 04:00 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Nishesh Basavareddy -172 / Yunchaokete Bu +150
Nishesh Basavareddy and Yunchaokete Bu clash in the first round of the 2025 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Here’s our Nishesh Basavareddy vs Yunchaokete Bu prediction. This article will also include a Nishesh Basavareddy vs Yunchaokete Bu pick.
Nishesh Basavareddy Preview
Nishesh Basavareddy was given a main draw wild card to play in Indian Wells. It’s a vote of good faith from the tournament organizers. He is a great young talent who already showcased his qualities on the ATP Tour earlier this season. He reached his first Tour-level semifinal as a qualifier in Auckland and became more famous after taking a set from Novak Djokovic in a first-round defeat at the Australian Open.
Basavareddy has since played one ATP tournament in Acapulco, Mexico. He had to qualify for the event and lost in the main draw to Dallas champion Denis Shapovalov in straight sets.
The young American is a solid 9-4 this season and sits just outside the Top 100 (ranked 101st in the ATP rankings). He could make his Top 100 debut if he gets a win or two at the BNP Paribas Open. It will be his first experience with an ATP 1000.
Yunchaokete Bu Preview
Yunchaokete Bu will also play for the first time in Indian Wells. The 23-year-old enjoyed a great season in 2024, winning a couple of Challenger titles on hard courts and becoming the latest Chinese player to reach the Top 100 of the ATP rankings.
A lot of that was aided by his two semifinal finishes on home soil in Hangzhou and Beijing last season when Bu beat seasoned pros like Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.
He’s currently ranked 71st ahead of this tournament after a mediocre start to 2025. Bu has scored three wins from 11 matches. Two of those victories came during his run to the last eight in Montpellier. It is the second time this season, he’s lost three matches in a row.
Nishesh Basavareddy vs Yunchaokete Bu Head-To-Head
• Basavareddy and Bu have no history at this level. This will be their first meeting on the ATP Tour.
Nishesh Basavareddy vs Yunchaokete Bu Prediction
I’m going with the rising teenager Basavareddy here. He’s got a measured approach and shot consistency from the centre of the court. He’s also very solid with an equal speed of shot off both wings. Bu is a great ball striker in his own right and an excellent mover, but he’s a bit more erratic, so he’ll waste more openings. It’s probably wise to go with the overs in the games spread, but Basavareddy should edge it over three sets.