ATP 250 Auckland 1/16-Finals
Mpetshi Perricard – Bu: 06.01.2025 Time TBA
H2H: 1-0
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has won three of his last five matches. The young Frenchman had a decent run this week in Brisbane, eventually failing in the semifinals against Opelka. En route to the semifinals, Giovanni had solid wins against prominent hard-court players such as Tiafoe and Nick Kyrgios. Those wins will give him self-confidence for the upcoming tournaments. He had a breakthrough season last year and continued playing well this season. Currently, Mpetshi Perricard is aiming for a top-30 spot in the rankings.
Yunchaokete Bu has lost three of his last five matches. His last win was in November when he defeated Ymer at the Challenger Tournament in Japan. So far this season, Bu has played only one tournament. Last week in Hong Kong, Bu lost in the opening round against Borges in three tight sets. Bu had a chance to close out the match in the deciding set when he was 5-3 up and served for the match. However, he fumbled under pressure and lost the deciding set through a tiebreak.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, this should be an almost 50-50 match. Looking at their current form, we expect Mpetshi Perricard to be the favorite in this match. He had a solid run last week, securing a couple of solid wins. We believe that his current form and confidence will prevail in this match.
That being said, Mpetshi Perricard winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard winning @1.80 @bet365
Navone – Opelka: 06.01.2025 Time TBA
H2H: first meeting
Mariano Navone has lost five straight matches. Navone lost against Jarry in the opening round in tight straight sets this week in Brisbane but was competitive throughout the match. Navone is a clay court specialist who has never succeeded on hard courts. Last season, Mariano secured only three hard court wins. Around this time last year, Navone played in the qualifiers of the Australian Open, losing against Prizmic in three sets.
Reilly Opelka has won four of his last five matches. This week in Brisbane, Opelka reached the final. En route to the final, Reilly upset Novak Djokovic and showed glimpses of his best form. Today, in his final match against Lehecka, Reilly was forced to retire early in the first set due to a back injury. Lehecka led 4-1 when Opelka was forced to retire. Opelka has been suffering from injuries for the last couple of seasons. The big American hopes to stay fit and to play without any back problems.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Navone is the big underdog in this matchup, but we disagree. Opelka retired from his final match today, so we are questioning his fitness for the upcoming match against Navone. Other than that, Mariano played a solid match last week against a similar opponent, so we expect him to at least keep this match tight.
That being said, Navone covering the games handicap is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Mariano Navone +3.5 games handicap @1.73 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
