ATP 250 Hangzhou semifinals
Zhang – Bu: 23.09.2024 13:30 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Zhizhen Zhang has won 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. In the second round, Zhang absolutely dominated against Bellucci, winning in easy straight sets. Today, Zhang defeated Carballes Baena in straight sets as we predicted. It was another great performance by the Chinese. Last year around this time, Zhang played in Shanghai, where he reached the 1/8-Finals, losing against Hurkacz in three tight sets.
Yunchaokete Bu has won four of his last five matches. Bu was granted a Wild Card in Hangzhou. Bu is looking for a solid result this week, to get his ranking closer to the top 100. In his opening round match, Bu defeated Gaston in straight sets as we predicted. After that, in the second round, Yunchaokete upset Khachanov in three tight sets as we predicted. Today, in the quarterfinals, Bu defeated Kukushkin in straight sets as we predicted, and secured his biggest result of his young career. So far this season, Bu has spent a lot of time playing at the challenger tour level. He has already won three challenger titles this season on the hard courts, and played two finals as well. The young Chinese is one of the biggest Chinese talents right now.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Zhang is the slight favorite in this matchup. We believe that his experience will prevail in this match, and that he will win this match easily.
That being said, Zhang winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Zhizhen Zhang winning @1.57 @bet365
Cilic – Nakashima: 23.09.2024 11:30 CEST
H2H: first meeting
Marin Cilic has won four of his last five matches. He is still coming back from an injury, so he still needs some time to find his best level of tennis. Two weeks ago, Marin played a challenger tournament in Cassis where he reached the quarterfinals. Here in Hangzhou, Marin defeated Svajda in the opening round in straight sets as we predicted. After that, Marin defeated Nishioka in straight sets as we predicted. Today in the quarterfinals, Cilic defeated Uchiyama in three tight sets as we predicted. The former US Open champion showed glimpses of his best form. However, he barely played in 2023, so he still needs time to get back to the best level of competitive tennis.
Brandon Nakashima has won four of his last five matches. Last week in the Davis Cup, Nakashima won all of his matches. Here in Hangzhou, Brandon had it hard against Wong. Nakashima won that match in three tight sets. After losing the first set, Brandon stepped up his game and turned the match around. He had a great serving performance, hitting 21 aces with 0 double faults. Today, in the quarterfinals, Brandon defeated Hijikata in straight sets.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Cilic is the big underdog in this matchup, and we do not agree with that. Marin played great tennis throughout the whole week, and is always dangerous under these fast conditions. We believe that he will have a decent chance against Nakashima, and at least keep this match tight.
That being said, Cilic covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Marin Cilic +3.5 games handicap @1.73 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
