It is quarter final day at the Delray Beach Open on Friday with some leading American names looking to move themselves into the last four of the ATP 250 event down in Florida, and build up a head of steam heading into the two Masters 1000 events on the horizon.
All four matches will be played on the Stadium Court in the day and night sessions and with the likes of Milos Raonic and Reilly Opelka on show we can expect a lot of big serving and heavy biffing as we sort out the semi-final line up.
Day Session
Frances Tiafoe vs Ugo Humbert
The first quarter final might actually turn out to be the most appealing of them from a watchable point of view, as the former champion Frances Tiafoe seeks a place in the top four once again, when he takes on Ugo Humbert for the second time in their careers.
Tiafoe won their first meeting at the Next Gen Finals last year and he’ll be hoping to repeat that trick here. Since then Humbert has picked up his first tournament win and is more established on the scene now, but Tiafoe is at home and the slow conditions tend to suit his game fairly well. It is expected to be windy in Florida on Friday and that too could assist Tiafoe so I’ll go with the American in the opening quarter final.
Brandon Nakashima vs Yoshihito Nishioka
The other quarter final in the day session sees the American rising star Brandon Nakashima taking on the Japanese player who might just be playing the best tennis in the tournament at the minute in Yoshihito Nishioka.
Both these men have done well to come through this far in the tournament and now one of them will be rewarded with a spot in the semi-final. Nakashima has looked like he has got better as the event has gone on and that is definitely the case with Nishioka, although that is less of a surprise given that he is returning from a recent injury. Bookmakers fancy Nishioka here and his movement is the thing that makes me think he’s a good thing but he’s plenty short enough and I don’t really want to be on any handicaps so I’ll leave this one alone.
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Night Session
Soonwoo Kwon vs Reilly Opelka
The opening match in the night session sees the leading ranked American player left in the tournament in Reilly Opelka going up against the Korean player Soonwoo Kwon who is in pretty good form and who has already slayed one home player this week.
Opelka goes into the match as a warm favourite, which rankings wise he probably is, but conditions might make this a tougher exercise for him than he might have wanted. Kwon has already handled one big serve in recent times when he tamed Milos Raonic last week in New York and if the winds and slow courts catch Opelka out the same could easily happen here. I’m a little concerned that Kwon has gone three sets in both matches so far so I wonder if Opelka will run out winner in a third set.
That makes me swerve backing Kwon to win but I certainly think he can keep the big American honest and so with that in mind I think the better bet in this encounter is over 24.5 games, something that has already landed in one match for both men this week, and which any three set match covers but two close sets could too.
Steve Johnson vs Milos Raonic
On paper the pick of the quarter finals is the last one on the Stadium Court when the favourite and higher ranked player left in the competition in Milos Raonic takes on the American player Steve Johnson, who is now ranked a lot lower than he once was.
Johnson had to go three sets with Jack Sock in the previous round, which isn’t much of a form guide it has to be said so Raonic looks a worthy favourite. Conditions could be the leveller as they were here two years ago when Johnson saw off his Canadian foe. Even if conditions are in his favour though I just don’t fancy Johnson to get the job done but it is enough to sway me from getting involved in handicaps and things so I’ll sit this one out.
Tips
Back F.Tiafoe to beat U.Humbert for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with BetVictor
Back him here:
Back S.Kwon vs R.Opelka – Over 24.5 games for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with 888sport
Back him here:
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