Andy Murray won a match in Dubai, and he'll try to do it again in Indian Wells against a very familiar face, David Goffin.
The Brit has played well at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells in the past, but that was a while ago. He isn't the same player anymore, and you need to be a really great mover to do well in Indian Wells.
It's a slow hard court; the ball bounces high, and the players trade blows. If you can't keep up with that, you're going to be overrun. Murray hasn't been moving as well recently, which can significantly hinder him here.
A super-aggressive player like Goffin certainly has all the tools needed to down Murray, even if the Brit was finally able to win a match again and break his losing streak.
The win in Dubai should give him some confidence heading into this tournament. On the other hand, Goffin played two qualifying matches so far in Indian Wells and played pretty well.
Murray and Goffin have played seven times so far, and the Brit has largely won, never losing a match or a set against the Belgian player. It's a rather simple explanation of why.
Goffin is an attacking player who goes for it when he can. That's a great way to play if you're consistent with it. He's never quite been that consistent, which is why Murray gave him so many problems.
The Brit used to be a wall with his tremendous movement and touch, but those days are gone. It's been a while since they played, so we can't really judge from those previous matches.
| Andy Murray | David Goffin | |
| 7 | H2H | 0 |
| 36 | Rank | 112 |
| 36 | Age | 33 |
| 2-6 | 2024 W/L | 1-3 |
| 735-256 | Career W/L | 330-240 |
To me, Goffin is the better player right now. He's playing better, and Murray's legs are gone. He did make the third round last year, but I see him losing early here.
Prediction: David Goffin to win in three sets.