Storyline: There’s exciting action in store for tennis fans this weekend. Here are the top picks from Bet Advisor. Written by Craig Simpkin, London
It was a strong week on the ATP Tour last time around with Richard Gasquet capturing his third title in Montpellier; Roberto Batista-Agut overcoming Victor Troicki in the final in Sofia; and Victor Estrella-Burgos successfully defended his Quito crown. It’s onwards and upwards this week with indoor, hard court events in Rotterdam and Memphis, and the usual South American clay jaunt at this time of year in Buenos Aires.
ATP Rotterdam
It’s Gasquet as the top-seed here following his Montpellier heroics, where he dropped just a single set along the way. He faces Jeremy Chardy in the first round – a player against whom he holds a 3-0 head-to-head record. That makes the World #12 a good value at 6.00 to clinch a second successive title.
But very few players accomplish that feat–unless their name starts in Novak and ends in Djokovic. This is a high quality field so it’s hard to give betting tips with any certainty. Just take a look at Marin Cilic, for example, who’s the current bookmakers’ favourite at 5.00 and the #2-seed. He was pushed all the way by Denis Istomin – a player he has beaten in six of seven meetings. There’s certainly unpredictability about ATP Rotterdam.
Gilles Simon, at 7.00, is worth keeping an eye on. Despite flaking badly in Montpellier last week, the Frenchman has happy memories of this event. He reached the last four here in 2015 when he beat Chardy and Andy Murray along the way – before being dumped out by Tomas Berdych.
ATP Memphis
It’s all about Kei Nishikori in Memphis this week. The Japanese star has won this title two years in a row, and he’s unsurprisingly the top seed and bookmakers’ favourite as a result. Even for a player so dominant here in recent years the odds of 1.67 look too short to back.
The World’s #6-ranked player’s biggest obstacle in his half of the draw is likely to be substantial: all 6’5′ of Sam Querrey. The American has a good record in Memphis. And while Querrey has never really achieved all he should in the game, his huge serve makes him a tough proposition to overcome.
We need to look at the bottom half of the draw for any betting value. We’re happy to offer Steve Johnson at 9.00 each way as one of our betting tips of the week. His hardest battle on route to the final will surely come from Donald Young, a player whom has only played three matches in 2016 – losing two of them, including being dumped in the first round at the Australian Open. Johnson is playing quite well at the moment, though, so we can back him with some confidence on home soil.
ATP Buenos Aires
Perhaps the standout tour event of the week takes place on clay in Argentina. #1-seed, Rafa Nadal, will be looking to successfully defend the ATP Buenos Aires title he won last year – a tournament in which he dropped just 19 games in four matches played. He should reach the last four at least again with the minimum of fuss.
Again we go to the bottom half of the draw in our quest for a good value each way punt. The World’s #8 player, David Ferrer, is a former winner here in 2014. With a 19-5 record on clay in 2015 he certainly cannot be taken lightly. In the bottom half of the draw he looks the most likely to proceed. An each way bet on him at 5.00 is the pick of today’s betting tips from Bet Advisor.
