Tennis Betting Advice - October 2024

Ones to Watch in Shanghai at 50/1 and 125/1...

Wednesday 2nd October 2024

We did well to snap up the 150/1 for Shuai Zhang on Monday evening

Since then, the WTA Beijing wildcard has won her 4th round match. She plays in the quarter finals at 8am tomorrow, UK time (live on Sky Sports). Priced as the underdog once again; this time at 7/2 (4.5) to beat world no.19, Paula Badosa.

We took 150/1 for Shuai Zhang, with Each Way terms of 1/2 odds for 1-2 places. At last glance, the world no.595 was down to 66/1, with bookies now only offering reduced Each Way terms of 1/3 odds 1-2.

We’ve got a huge price on our side there at the China Open. That’s what we’re all about…

Taking of which, last year at ATP Shanghai, we backed Ben Shelton at 50/1, and home hope Zhizhen Zhang at triple figures. We can get similar quotes this week - once the Outright Winner markets are back up this evening (play resumes 5.30am tomorrow, UK time)...

Zhizhen Zhang reached the 4th round here last October. Coming off the back of a busy, breakout summer - where he won Gold for China at the Asian Games. Hubert Hurkacz beat our man in that Rolex Shanghai Masters last-16 match, via a deciding final-set tiebreaker… and the Pole went on to win the whole tournament. Just last month in Hangzhou, Zhizhen Zhang reached his first career ATP final. He’s getting closer…

Ben Shelton has also been just on the wrong side of a couple of very close score-lines recently. For example, edged out 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 by fellow Ones to Watch in 2024 youngster, Arthur Fils, in the ATP Tokyo quarter finals last week. Fils went on to lift the trophy….

Shelton was also pipped in a five-set scrap at the US Open. And before that, his Cincinnati Masters quarter final against Alexander Zverev also went to a final set.

‘Knocking on the door’ is the theme here…

We’ll add one more name to that category today. Another Ones to Watch regular, Holger Rune

The energetic Dane is one of the most talented young guys on the tour. He’s already shown he can beat the best. Taking out Novak Djokovic to win the Rolex Paris Masters a couple of autumns back - when we were on Holger at 33/1…

More recently, Rune has looked like he is gradually recovering from a months-long slump. The 21-year-old made the Tokyo semi finals last time out (7-6, 7-6 - as close as a two-set result can be). And at Masters 1000 level, Holger has that big-match X Factor that we love to find in exciting young talents…

For example, this year, Rune has made the Cincinnati semi finals, and two further quarter finals at this level. And that’s without reaching his top level. This guy’s ceiling is very high. We should be looking at around 50/1 for him in Shanghai this week - and that’s pretty appetising as a creditable long-shot pick…

I say ‘should,’ because as I write this Wednesday afternoon, we’re still waiting for the revised Outright prices to go up. However, none of our three men have played yet, so barring any major big-name withdrawals to the draw, the day-one prices of 50/1 each for Shelton and Rune, and 100/1+ for Zhizhen Zhang, should still be plenty obtainable…

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Ones to Watch picks:

See above for full details

*** Ladbrokes & Coral are the first back up with their markets this afternoon, and I’ve included their prices below. Others will follow this evening, ahead of play resuming tomorrow morning… ***

ATP Shanghai – Rolex Shanghai Masters

Outright Winner – Each Way (1/2 odds 1-2 places):

  • Ben Shelton @ 50/1  
  • Holger Rune @ 50/1
  • Zhizhen Zhang @ 125/1

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Enjoy the tennis…

Best wishes,

Tom Wilson

Oliver Upstone

Ones to Watch