Lehecka – Rune: 08.10.2024 09:30 CEST
H2H: 1-1
Jiri Lehecka has won three of his last five matches. Last week in Beijing, Lehecka reached the quarterfinals, where he lost against Sinner in straight sets. Here in Shanghai, Jiri won his opening match against Munar in straight sets. Jiri served well, losing his serve only once throughout the whole match. Lehecka has had a great season so far. He was consistent on every surface. Last year in Shanghai, Lehecka lost his opening match against Schwartzman in three tight sets.
Holger Rune has won four of his last five matches. Last week in Tokyo, Holger reached the semifinals, where he was upset by Fils in two tiebreaks. Fils ended up winning the tournament, so it was not a bad result for the young Dane. Here in Shanghai, Holger defeated Berrettini in the opening match, after spending two hours on the court. Rune is looking for a solid result this week, to get closer to the top 10 in the rankings. Last year in Shanghai, Rune played his worst tennis. He lost against Nakashima 6-0 6-2 in the opening round, and looked terrible on the court.
According to the bookies, Rune is the slight favorite in this matchup. Holger loves to play on the biggest stage, and we believe that he will be a better player than Lehecka under these conditions. Holger played great against Berrettini, so we expect him to continue in that fashion tomorrow as well.
That being said, Rune winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Holger Rune winning @1.50 @bet365
Cobolli – Djokovic: 08.10.2024 12:30 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Flavio Cobolli has won four of his last five matches. Last week in Beijing, Cobolli reached the quarterfinals, where he lost against Medvedev in straight sets as we predicted. Here in Shanghai, Flavio defeated Wawrinka in three tight sets in the opening round. Cobolli had his biggest results at the beginning of the season, which made him a top 30 player. This will be his first Asian swing. Playing in the previous years at the challenger tour level, Cobolli skipped the Asian swing, so he does not have any points to defend here.
Novak Djokovic has won four of his last five matches. After losing against Popyrin in the third round of the US Open, Novak took some time off to enjoy his life. Novak mentioned that he has won everything, and is now looking to only participating in the biggest tournaments such as this one. Here in Shanghai, Novak defeated Michelsen in his opening match in straight tight sets as we predicted.
According to the bookies, Djokovic is the favorite in this matchup. Novak looked rusty in his opening match against Michelsen. We believe that Cobolli will play without any pressure, and keep this match tight.
That being said, Cobolli covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Flavio Cobolli +4.5 games handicap @2.15 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
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