The fifth day of action inside the o2 Arena at the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals sees the first singles and doubles group completed on Thursday and the way the tables lie after two sets of matches we are in for a great day of tennis.
We already a player and a pair who are through to the semi-finals and on Thursday we will find out who joins them as a couple of what are effectively quarter finals get played out on what could well be a pivotal day in the event.
Afternoon Session
Wesley Koolhof & Nikola Mektic vs Marcelo Melo & Lukasz Kubot
The afternoon doubles action is effectively a dead rubber with the pairing of Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic already through to the semi-finals and Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot knowing that they can’t qualify for the knockout stages from here, which means the only thing at stake is some rankings points and cash.
The latter isn’t going to make much difference unless these pairs are going to be together next season and that is still to be determined. You’ve got to think that with their form so far in the tournament that Koolhof and Mektic will come through here but I’m always reluctant to take on Melo and Kubot because if the Pole catches fire his singles record suggests he would be the best player on the court. I don’t like betting on dead rubbers anyway as a rule and I’m not breaking that strategy here.
Dominic Thiem vs Andrey Rublev
We are in the same situation in the afternoon singles as well with Dominic Thiem having already booked his spot in the semi-finals on Saturday before he takes on Andrey Rublev whose first ATP Finals campaign will have disappointed him and which will come to an end after this match regardless of the result.
Once again the only thing at stake here is cash and ranking points. The former certainly isn’t an issue for these two men and while the latter would be nice both men look like they are playing the sort of tennis which will have them in the upper echelons of the rankings next season anyway so even they aren’t of paramount importance. Thiem has looked sensational in this tournament so far but it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise in the world if Rublev freed up and played the tennis that got him here. This is a dead rubber so I’m not really interested in betting on it.
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Evening Session
Rajeev Ram & Joe Salisbury vs Kevin Krawietz & Andreas Mies
It is quarter final night at the o2 Arena on Thursday and we start with the doubles tournament as the second and third seeds meet in a winner tales all clash when Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury go up against Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies in a battle of two of the three Grand Slam winners from 2020.
Both these pairs have played a very ordinary match and a good one in this tournament but they will both need to bring their best to get what they want out of this one. My original feeling was that Ram and Salisbury were the better side and would come through this group but their display in their last outing was a concern. On the flip side of that, the German pairing were inspired in seeing off Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot and if they can carry on that form they will be hard to beat. I’d probably side with them now but they are short priced favourites so I’ll let them win if they are good enough.
Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Everything in on the line in the final match of the day as Rafael Nadal bids to make it into the semi-finals of the only major tournament he doesn’t currently have on his CV. In order to get there he is going to have to overcome the challenge of the defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in what is a quarter final in everything but name.
The winner here goes through to most likely face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final on Saturday while the loser will be done for the season, and with nobody yet knowing when next season will start neither man will want to finish their campaign just yet. I expect Nadal to win this match though. Tsitsipas does have a win over the Spanish great on clay which is significant but it might be more important that Nadal won their meeting here last year before the Greek went on to win the title.
Nadal has played to an exceptional level this week and it is only for the insane quality of Thiem in one of the best matches this arena has witnessed that denied him being through already. I see no reason why he is suddenly going to drop his level so Tsitsipas, who fell over the line against Rublev, is going to need to have found his best tennis in a short space of time. I don’t see that. I expect Nadal to win and win with a bit of comfort on the scoreline.
Tips
WON – Back R.Nadal (-2.5 games) to beat S.Tsitsipas for a 3/10 stake at 1.73 with BetVictor
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