Tennis Betting Advice - September 2025
Ones to Watch in China at 33/1 and 80/1...
Tuesday 16th September 2025
The tennis calendar has been jiggled about a bit this season. With men’s International team events taking place this week, we see two ATP 250-grade tournaments starting on a Wednesday - rather than the usual Monday slot…
Set your alarm clock. We’re off to China…
Play starts from 6am, UK time…
ATP Chengdu produced a historic home champion last September. Juncheng Chang will be hard-pressed to repeat those heroics this week. The 20-year-old has been plagued with injury issues, is without a win on tour since January, and has crashed out in the 1st round of his last four tournaments - most recently pulling up injured at last month’s US Open. He’s 40/1 (Betfred) and 33/1 in general to spring a surprise return to form and fitness this week.
Last year’s beaten Chengdu finalist Lorenzo Musetti, on the other hand, goes off as the outright favourite, at not much better than 2/1 (3.0).
We’ll instead play our big-odds card on a youngster from Hong Kong, COLEMAN WONG, who’s impressed me each time I’ve seen him play. The 20-year-old world no.149 has been given a wildcard into this event. He arrives having won eight of his last 10 matches, serves well, and has plenty of fist-pumping energy on court.
If he gets through the 1st round against a qualifier, Wong will face 3rd seed Tallon Griekspoor, who has a bye through round one - and arrives on a five-match losing streak. The Dutchman is 16/1 at best and shorter in general. As with fellow hard-hitter Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (14/1 - 12/1) in this draw, I think Griekspoor will be more likely to produce his best tennis when we hit the European indoor hard courts this autumn.
There’s also 250-grade action in China at ATP Hangzhou this week…
Again, last year’s home finalist arrives with big fitness doubts hanging over them. Zhizhen Zhang was a 12/1 runner-up here last season. The 28-year-old has since drifted to no.192 in the rankings, and hasn’t been seen on the circuit since losing in the 1st round at Indian Wells back in March. He’s 150/1 for a reason this week.
There’s more reason to be interested in 2024 Hangzhou champion MARIN CILIC…
The former US Open winner, now a veteran of the sport, age 37 and turning 38 at the end of this month. Cilic was a 33/1 winner ‘out of nowhere’ here at this venue 12 months ago. Ranked no.777 at the time, he became the lowest-ranked player to ever win an ATP Tour event.
A former world no.3, the huge-serving Croatian is currently at no.59. Once again, he arrives in China with little recent form in the book. Although a strong summer on grass (Cilic is a former Wimbledon finalist - 2017), including a lower-tier Challenger title in Nottingham, before winning three matches at SW19, suggests that Marin isn’t about to throw the towel in just yet. He still wants to win.
Cilic could face a big test early on in this tournament with star name Daniil Medvedev the 2nd seed, and 4/1 in general to win the trophy. However, the Russian has been out of sorts for some time now - and looks a vulnerable favourite at short odds. Medvedev is now two years without winning a title, and has had a torrid summer by his standards, losing in the 1st round in three of his last five tournaments - including at both Wimbledon and the US Open.
Marin has beaten Daniil before and run him close on other occasions. If Cilic gets into his serving rhythm, he can really get under the skin of the often-volatile Medvedev, should they meet in round two.
We’ll take 33/1 - 25/1 for Cilic to potentially produce some repeat magic here in Hangzhou. He’s got previous for defending/ winning multiple titles at the same event; in fact he’s done it four times before in his long and successful pro career.
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Ones to Watch picks:
See above for full details
Outright Winner – Each Way (1/2 odds 1-2 places)
ATP Chengdu - Chengdu Open:
Still to price-up: Bet365, Boylesports.
ATP Hangzhou - Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open:
Still to price-up: Boylesports.
Play starts from 6am, UK time. Bookies will take down Outright Winner markets during each day’s matches.
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P.S
We’re also on 22/1 pick Diana Shnaider at WTA Seoul this week - more details in yesterday’s article here. Shnaider’s 1st-round match got suspended due to rain this morning; she’ll be back on court on Wednesday AM with the scores level at one-set-all. Betfred are still 20/1 Each Way as I write.
Enjoy the tennis…
Best wishes,
Oliver Upstone