TENNIS: The Next Gen ATP Finals semi-final kicks off after an exciting group stage. Can the highest remaining seed, Jack Draper make it through?
Dominic Stricker v Jiri Lehecka
Friday 6pm BETDAQ MARKET
This match-up is another that is difficult to weight up, with the lower-ranked player, Dominic Stephan Stricker, the heavy favourite with the Betdaq win calculator. From Switzerland, Stricker only turned pro in 2020 but his previous victories see him with a 67% win probability and despite his significantly lower ATP ranking of 111, he could be on course for a tremendous victory.
Stricker has already comfortably defeated Jack Draper and second seed Lorenzo Musetti at this tournament and looks to be the man with the momentum heading into this semi-final. He started off the season averagely but has hit a fine patch of form in recent weeks, defeating some highly-ranked players and looking comfortable at this level.
He is the favourite at 1.5 and if he is able to maintain his momentum of the previous rounds, winning two of his three matches without dropping a set, he could make it to the final here without a great deal of resistance.
His opponent Jiri Lehecka will no doubt have something to say about that, with his form also looking impressive heading into this tie. Taking two 3-0 wins at the tournament, he is capable of completely blocking out his adversaries and dominating matches when he gets into his flow.
Though the Czech was knocked out at the US Open and Wimbledon first rounds, he put up a fight in his matches, taking sets off of his opponent in both ties. He shows great determination on the court and has the ability to claw his way back into a set when it looks like he is down and out.
However, he does have the tendency to drop in form without explanation and looking at his 3-0 loss to Brandon Nakashima in the group stages, it is easy to see why he is the outsider here. At 2.92 he could be good value for money though, and has enough in his arsenal to cause an upset.
BETDAQ SELECTION: Jiri Lehecka BETDAQ MARKET
Brandon Nakashima v Jack Draper
Friday 8pm BETDAQ MARKET
The British number three Jack Draper has made it to the Next Gen ATP Finals semi-final after a poor start saw him lose his first match in the group stages. Since then, he has proved his quality and highlighted why he is edging ever closer to cracking the world’s top 40.
Now at his highest-ever 41 in the ATP rankings, Jack looks to be stretching his legs in professional tennis and is settling into the beginning of what is set to be a fruitful career.
Overcoming world number seven Felix Auger-Aliassime at the US Open, Draper has the ability to beat the best and looking at his form at the Next Gen Finals; dismantling world number 23 Lorenzo Musetti in the last of the group stage rounds, it won’t be hard to back the talented youngster in this one.
He is priced at 1.76 to beat his opponent Brandon Nakashima who is also a top young player and another face of the future.
Nakashima has also recently cracked the top 50 and currently sits at 49 in the ATP rankings after a very good season. The American made it to the US Open third round and Wimbledon fourth round in the summer, beating some formidable opponents on his journeys and has played some exceptional tennis so far at this tournament, so there is no doubt that he has the mettle to win here.
At 2.28, he is certainly in with a shot and might be the bet worth taking as the underdog. In truth, it is a good matchup and both players will fancy their chances after an impressive last few rounds at the tournament. This one could go either way.
BETDAQ SELECTION: Brandon Nakashima BETDAQ MARKET
