ATP 250 Umag 1/16-Finals
Ajdukovic – Darderi: 22.07.2024 Time TBA
H2H: first meeting
Duje Ajdukovic has won four of his last five matches. Last week in Bastad, Duje reached the semifinals where he lost against Nadal in three tight sets. Ajdukovic fought through the qualifying tournament and won five straight matches in Bastad. He looked great on the court, and almost reached the final. Last year in Umag, Duje lost in the first round of the tournament against Prizmic in straight sets. Duje is looking to get into the top 100, and with a solid performance on his home soil, he could get into the top 100 by the end of the week.
Luciano Darderi has won three of his last five matches. Last week in Hamburg, Darderi reached the quarterfinals where he lost against Sebastian Baez in three sets. So far this season, Luciano has won one ATP title in Córdoba, and one challenger title in Perugia. Darderi is having his best season, and if he can keep up with this level, Luciano might get into the top 30 soon enough.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Ajdukovic is the big underdog in this matchup. He had a great tournament last week in Bastad, where he has shown us how big his potential is. Ajdukovic will have the whole home crowd cheering for him, so we believe that he will keep this match tight.
That being said, Ajdukovic covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Duje Ajdukovic +3.5 games handicap @1.80 @bet365
Poljicak – Sonego: 22.07.2024 Time TBA
H2H: first meeting
Mili Poljicak has won five straight matches. Last week in Umag, Poljicak won the title at the ITF level. So far this season, Mili has spent most of his time playing at the ITF level trying to get back his best form. He also played most of his matches on clay. The Croatian won the Juniors Wimbledon title two years ago. His transition to the professional level is still not looking good. However, Poljicak said that he feels great, and that he belongs at the top.
Lorenzo Sonego has lost three of his last five matches. The last match he played was three weeks ago at Wimbledon, where he lost against Bautista-Agut in four tight sets. His last clay court match was at the French Open where he lost against Zhang in the second round. So far this season, Sonego has had a poor clay court season. His recent losses and poor performances led to him being outside the top 50. Last year in Umag, Sonego reached the semifinals where he lost against Wawrinka in straight sets.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Poljicak is the big underdog in this matchup. He has already played five matches on the courts in Umag, and won all five of them. We believe that he will be ready for his first round match against Sonego and, with the help of the crowd, we believe that he will keep this match tight.
That being said, Poljicak covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Mili Poljicak +4.5 games handicap @1.83 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
