ATP Masters 1000 Rome 1/64-Finals
Lehecka – Muller: Time TBA
H2H: 2-0
Jiri Lehecka has lost four of his last five matches. Last week in Madrid, Lehecka lost in the opening round against Norrie in three tight sets. His last and only appearance in Rome was in 2023, losing against Marozsan in the second round.
Alexandre Muller has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Madrid, the Frenchman lost against Tiafoe in the third round in straight sets. Last season in Rome, Muller reached the fourth round as a qualifier, eventually losing against Jarry in straight sets.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Lehecka is the slight favourite in this matchup, and we agree. He struggled with his form recently but is still a solid player who can win against anyone. Lehecka easily won both head-to-head meetings against Muller in straight sets, and we expect a similar outcome this week.
That being said, Lehecka winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Jiri Lehecka winning @1.57 @bet365
Marozsan – Fonseca: Time TBA
H2H: first meeting
Fabian Marozsan has won three of his last five matches. His last match was in Madrid, where he lost against Cobolli in the opening round. Last season in Rome, the Hungarian lost against Shevchenko in the opening round. He has never made it past the fourth round in Rome.
Joao Fonseca has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Estoril, de Jong upset him in the opening round of the Challenger tournament. This will be his debut campaign in Rome. So far this season, Fonseca has already won one ATP title on clay in Buenos Aires earlier this season.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Fonseca is the slight favourite in this matchup, and we agree. The young Brazilian is one of the most considerable talents on the tour. He enjoys playing in front of a packed crowd and handles the pressure well. Fonseca is a better player than Marozsan, and if he brings his A game, we expect him to win easily.
That being said, Fonseca winning in straight sets is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Joao Fonseca winning 2-0 @2.25 @bet365
Tien – Opelka: Time TBA
H2H: first meeting
Learner Tien has lost three of his last five matches. Last week in Estoril, Tien lost against Elias in the opening round. Being American, Tien rarely played on clay. This will be his debut campaign in Rome.
Reilly Opelka has won three of his last five matches. Last week in Aix en Provence, Opelka reached the quarterfinals. He eventually retired mid-match against Buse. His last appearance in Rome was in 2022 when he lost in the opening round against Wawrinka.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, this will be a 50-50 matchup, but we disagree. Tien is an upcoming American star. Two years ago, he reached the semifinals at the Boys French Open. We believe he is a better clay-court player than Opelka.
That being said, Tien winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Learner Tien winning @1.80 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui/The Desert Sun/USAToday Sports
