ATP 250 Hangzhou 1/16-Finals
Bu – Gaston: Time TBA
H2H: 0-1
Yunchaokete Bu has lost three 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 last match, Bu defeated Boitan in straight sets in the Davis Cup competition. 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.
Hugo Gaston has lost four straight matches. Gaston needs to start winning if he wants to cement his top 100 status. The last match he played was at the US Open, where he lost against Diaz Acosta in straight sets in the first round of the tournament. His last main-draw win was in Kitzbuhel, where he reached the final on the clay court. Gaston got his last hard court main-draw win in February in Marseille. So far this season, Hugo has had his biggest results on the clay courts.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Bu is the slight favorite in this matchup. We believe that Bu will perform in front of his home fans. Gaston is in terrible form right now, and usually underperforms on the fast hard courts such as this one.
That being said, Bu winning in straight sets is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Bu winning 2-0 @2.20 @bet365
Cilic – Svajda: Time TBA
H2H: first meeting
Marin Cilic has won three 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. So far this season, Cilic has played only in 10 matches, with a losing 4-6 record. 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.
Zachary Svajda has lost three of his last five matches. The young American was granted a wild card for the US Open. He lost in the opening round against Arnaldi in straight sets. Svajda is looking to get into the top 100 in the rankings. Zachary loves to play on the fast hard courts such as this one. So far this season, Svajda has spent most of his time playing at the challenger tour level.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, this should be a 50-50 meeting. Svajda does not have a lot of experience playing at the ATP tour level. On the other hand, Cilic is coming back from an injury, but is highly experienced, playing at the highest level. We believe that Marin will be ready for his opening match against Svajda, and win this match easily.
That being said, Cilic winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Marin Cilic winning @2.00 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
