Ranking Projection: Thiem Could Return To Career-High By Beating Federer

Dominic Thiem’s first priority when he steps on Stadium 1 Sunday for the BNP Paribas Open championship match against Roger Federer will be to lift his first ATP Masters 1000 title. But that’s not all that’s at stake for the Austrian.

Thiem can return to his career-high ATP Ranking of No. 4 if he lifts the trophy. The 25-year-old has been World No. 8 since 29 October. But regardless of his result against Federer, Thiem, will return to the Top 5 for the first time since January 2018.

With a victory, Thiem will earn 1,000 points, which would be his second-highest point total for a single tournament in his career. The Austrian earned 1,200 points for reaching the Roland Garros final last season.

Projected Top 5 On 18 March If Thiem Wins Indian Wells

The seventh seed’s performance in Indian Wells will give him an opportunity to gain even more ground next week at the Miami Open presented by Itaú. Last year, Thiem withdrew from the year’s second Masters 1000 tournament due to an ankle injury he suffered in Indian Wells. Therefore, he has no points to defend in Miami.

World No. 4 Federer began the tournament needing to reach the quarter-finals to have any chance of remaining inside the Top 5. But the 37-year-old Swiss is into the final in Indian Wells for the fifth straight time (he did not compete in 2016). Federer and Thiem are in essence battling for the fourth spot in the ATP Rankings. Federer only has 10 points to defend in Miami, since he lost to Thanasi Kokkinakis in his opening-round match last year.

Projected Top 5 On 18 March If Federer Wins