Davis Cup – World Group Teams Men Qualifiers
Japan – Great Britain: 31.01.2025 05:00 CEST
H2H: 0-1
Venue: Bourbon Beans Dome, Miki, Japan
Surface: hard, indoor
1st matchup:
Nishioka – Harris
Nishioka started this season by playing in Brisbane. He lost in the second main draw round against Lehecka in three sets. The last match he played was at the Australian Open, where he lost against Alcaraz in straight sets, as we had predicted. Billy Harris has played six matches this season with a losing 2-4 record. His last match was also at the Australian Open, failing to qualify. We expect a very tight match. However, Nishioka’s experience and help from the crowd should help him get the first win for Japan.
2nd matchup:
Nishikori – Fearnley
Kei is slowly coming back to his best form. He ended the 2024 season by winning the Challenger title in Helsinki. At the beginning of the season, Nishikori reached the final in Hong Kong, losing against Muller in three tight sets. Two weeks ago in Melbourne, Kei lost in the second round against Tommy Paul in four sets. Jacob Fearnley lost against Kei last year in Helsinki in straight sets under similar conditions. Two weeks ago in Melbourne, Fearnley reached the third round of the Australian Open, losing against Zverev in straight sets. Kei is in solid form right now. We expect his experience to prevail in this matchup and get the second win for Japan.
3rd matchup:
Watanuki/Yuzuki – Salisbury/Skupski
The British have one of the best doubles players in the tournament, if not the best. Salisbury and Skupski have been playing together for a while and have had solid results together. Watanuki and Yuzuki have never played together. We expect the Brits to easily get the first win for Great Britain.
4th matchup:
Nishioka – Fearnley
Nishioka captured his third ATP title last season in Atlanta, winning against Thompson in the final. However, Nishioka has not had any remarkable results this season. He has not had consecutive wins in the main draw tournament this season. On the other hand, Jacob Fearnley had a great 2024 season. He spent most of the time playing at the Challenger Tour level. Fearnley won several Challenger titles playing on indoor courts. He loves to play fast, and this surface fits his game perfectly. We expect him to get the 2nd win for Great Britain.
5th matchup:
Nishikori – Harris
This will probably be the crucial match for Great Britain. Billy Harris had a solid 2024 season. However, once he faced top-100 players, Harris struggled on the court. He spent most of the season playing at the Challenger Tour level. Nishikori is not in good form, but he is still a solid player. We believe that Nishikori will be a better player under pressure and get Japan the deciding third win.
Best Bet to Make
According to the bookies, Japan is the favorite in this matchup, and we agree. They have better singles players than Great Britain. Nishikori and Nishioka are experienced at playing at the highest level. We expect them to win with the help of the crowd.
That being said, Japan winning is a value bet.
Value bet/ the best odds: Japan winning @1.67 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
