Tennis Betting Advice - October 2023
Shanghai Masters: Ones to Watch at 50/1 & 300/1...
Tuesday 3rd October 2023
The ATP 1000 Series returns to China this week, with the first running of the Rolex Shanghai Masters since 2019…
Since the pandemic, a lot has changed. Between 2011 and 2019, six of the eight Shanghai titles were shared between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Federer is now retired – and Djokovic has withdrawn from this week’s event…
The last men’s Shanghai champ was Daniil Medvedev in 2019. As I write, he is due to play in the ATP 500 Beijing final on Wednesday, taking on Jannik Sinner. Whether or not the Russian or Italian (or indeed the man Sinner beat in the semis today, Carlos Alcaraz) rolls right on into Shanghai, we’ll have to wait and see.
Waiting on the Rolex…
The late finish of today’s Beijing semi final between Sinner and Alcaraz probably explains why we don’t have many bookies offering us a Rolex Shanghai Masters Outright Winner market yet. Most firms seem to have been biding their time in that respect this afternoon.
While I’ve been writing this, Ladbrokes & Coral have gone up with their prices. Franking something I’ve noticed all year long: ‘Brokes and Coral are usually up first with the weekly tennis Outright markets.
I’d expect most of the other major firms to be up at some point this evening – but who knows what time. The first batch of 1st round matches are due to start in Shanghai from 5.30am Wednesday morning, UK time.
I’ll also be keeping an eye on the daily match winner prices in this big ATP 1000-grade tournament. But for this evening, here are two outsiders to watch in Shanghai, sticking to our Ones to Watch criteria: appealing underdogs, at attractive Each Way prices…
Ones to Watch @ 50/1 & 300/1…
China would love a home player to go well here. Hopes pinned then, on recent Asian Games champion Zhizhen Zhang. The 26-year-old has already made a statement for Chinese men’s tennis by achieving the rare feat of breaking into the world’s top 100. Currently ranked no.60, Zhang has been knocking on the door of success all year. Including a headline win over former US Open finalist Casper Ruud in this year’s New York ‘Slam in August. Fitness issues have held him back before. With a fair wind and some home-crowd inspiration, Zhizhen Zhang is one to watch at huge outsider prices here.
The other youngster I want to get behind is our young American friend, Ben Shelton. Playing in this part of the world is all new to Ben. But the 20-year-old, world no.20 has all the makings of a future big-time champ. His speedy, attacking left-handed game and brave playing style has seen Ben win plenty of new fans this year. He’s on the up – and he’s usually up for it. As with so many of our Ones to Watch youngsters, the betting message is to take the big prices, while we still can. The next great leap forward can come at any time…
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Ones to Watch picks:
ATP Shanghai – Rolex Shanghai Masters
Outright Winner – Each Way (1/2 odds 1-2 places):
Other bookies to price up this evening
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Play starts from 5.30am. Bookies take down their Outright markets during play.
You can watch the Rolex Shanghai Masters live on Amazon Prime Video.
I’ll be back with more on Shanghai in the days ahead…
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Oliver Upstone