ATP 250 Hangzhou 1/8-Finals
Zhang – Bellucci: 21.09.2024 13:30 CEST
H2H: 1-0
Zhizhen Zhang has lost three of his last five matches. Here in Hangzhou, Zhang had it hard against Yevseyev in the opening round. It was a roller-coaster match. Both players were inconsistent throughout the whole match. Zhang is out of form, and is on the verge of dropping outside the top 50. Last year around this time, Zhang played in Shanghai, where he reached the 1/8-Finals, losing against Hurkacz in three tight sets.
Mattia Bellucci has won four of her last five matches. Here in Hangzhou, Bellucci defeated Karatsev in the first round of the tournament in straight sets as we predicted. Mattia played great tennis, and was unplayable. He lost his serve only once in the first set, but stayed calm and finished the match convincingly 6-4 6-0. Mattia is on the verge of getting into the top 100 in the rankings. So far this season, Bellucci has spent most of his time playing at the challenger tour level. His biggest results were on the hard courts.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, this should be a 50-50 match. Zhang is currently out of form. On the other hand, Bellucci was consistent throughout the whole season. We believe that he will dominate in this match, so we will back him up once again.
That being said, Bellucci winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Mattia Bellucci winning @1.73 @bet365
Rune – Uchiyama: 21.09.2024 10:30 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Holger Rune has won three of his last five matches. The last match he played was at the US Open, where he lost against Nakashima in his opening match. This has been a big year for Rune, who had some injury problems, and changes to his coaching team as well. It was a lot to cope with. With his recent poor performances, Rune dropped outside the top 10. He needs to start winning if he wants to stay in the top 20.
Yasutaka Uchiyama has won four of his last five matches. Here in Hangzhou, Uchiyama won both of his qualifying matches in straight sets. After that, Uchiyama had a favorable first round draw. He defeated McCabe in straight sets, a player who is outside the top 300 in the rankings. Uchiyama was great under pressure, saving all three break points. Earlier this month, Yasutaka won the challenger title in Zhangjiagang, winning against Lajal in the final. Uchiyama is hoping for a solid result this week, to get closer to the top 100 in the rankings.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Rune is the big favorite in this matchup. We believe that Uchiyama will keep this match close. He loves to play in Asia, and had his biggest results in Asia as well. Uchiyama is a heavy hitter who loves to play under fast conditions. On the other hand, Rune struggled with his form throughout the whole season.
That being said, Uchiyama covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Yasutaka Uchiyama +4.5 games handicap @1.67 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
