Tennis Betting Advice - May 2020
A look at today’s matches in Florida...
Saturday 9th May 2020
In your Ones to Watch email today:
Two out of two for Reilly...
German event continuing to go to form...
Today’s matches...
Reilly Opelka ran out a convincing winner in his two UTR Pro Match Series contests on Friday, accelerating away on the scoreboard when it really mattered.
Playing in his proverbial “back yard” in West Palm Beach, Florida, the 6’11” Opelka beat Miomir Kecmanovic 4-3, 4-0. Then came from behind to beat his pal and fellow 22-year-old American, Tommy Paul, 3-4, 4-1, 4-0.
I said yesterday that Reilly’s game is more than just a big serve. But it certainly helps to have that huge weapon on his racket: he won five of his 12 service games to love, 40-0 & the game.
The day’s other two matches saw Hubert Hurkacz beat Tommy Paul 2-0 as the match favourite, but in the final match of the day the Polish No.1 then lost in straight sets when priced as the favourite v Kecmanovic.
Over in Germany at the Tennis Point Exhibition Series, the matches went the way of the short-price favourites once again.
Yannick Hanfmann and Dustin Brown are the two top names at that European event, and as I write sit top of the leaderboard and on course to meet in the 1st Place Playoff match for the second week running. No odds are available for that as the playoff match-ups aren’t confirmed yet.
Today’s lunchtime match between another two Germans, Daniel Altmaier and Tim Puetz, is pretty much 50-50 on the odds, with those guys currently 3rd & 4th in the standings. If they end up meeting again in the 3rd Place Playoff, then the outcome of the first meeting could be significant. The career head-to-head between Altmaier and Puetz is one win apiece.
Back in Florida at the UTR Pro Match Series, the two matches & prices on the Saturday schedule are as follows.
5pm UK time:
Hubert Hurkacz 11/10 (2.10)
v
Reilly Opelka 8/11 (1.73)
6pm:
Tommy Paul 6/4 (2.50)
v
Miomir Kecmanovic 1/2 (1.50)
Hurkacz leads the head-to-head v Opelka, 1-0, although that was in Wimbledon qualifiers back in 2018. Playing in the States, Reilly could have the edge. Both men serve big. Opelka was a bigger price against a lower ranked opponent (Kecmanovic) yesterday, though, so the price isn’t so great here.
Hurkacz and Opelka are the two best players at this event in my opinion, so we could get another look at them in the 1st Place match on Sunday.
Kecmanovic has a 1-0 record v Paul. The Serbian’s results were hit & miss yesterday, though, and Paul may prove a tougher opponent than his two Friday losses suggest. I’m not particularly keen to trust Kecmanovic at 1/2 (1.50) here.
No picks from me today. We had two successful selections yesterday. We don’t need to push it if the odds aren’t quite there for us
I’ll be back on Sunday morning, with a look at the deciding matches.
Enjoy the tennis...
Best wishes,
Tom Wilson