It is semi-final day at the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals inside the o2 Arena in London on Saturday and we should be in for an absolutely cracking day of action with a line up that can only be described as sizzling throughout the two sessions.
For the first time in 16 years the top four in the singles rankings have made it through to the semi-finals of this tournament so we are guaranteed a pair of belting singles matches and the doubles schedule looks good too, so this should be a fantastic day of action.
Afternoon Session
Wesley Koolhof & Nikola Mektic vs Marcel Granollers & Horacio Zeballos
The opening doubles match of the afternoon pits two under the radar pairings going into the week together for a place in the final as Wesley Koolhof and partner Nikola Mektic takes on Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos to get the action underway.
Usually I would be looking at the Latin pairing here as Granollers has the experience of having won this title which at this stage of the event can be a real help but I can’t be going near them after he had to pull out of the match on Friday evening with a clear shoulder issue. They have had less than 18 hours to get that sorted before coming back onto court for this match. That makes Koolhof and Mektic emphatic favourites but bookmakers are all over that. A walkover can’t be ruled out so I’m not interested in betting on this match.
Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic
The first semi-final of the singles draw is a repeat of the Australia Open from the start of the season as Dominic Thiem takes on Novak Djokovic in a match which has the potential to be an absolute epic, much like that title showdown in Melbourne was.
That match went five sets and their previous clash, which was here in the group stage last year, went to a tiebreak in the final set so there is every reason to think that we are in for a lengthy and high quality first semi-final. In the two matches that Thiem has played this week that mattered to him the US Open champion has looked in supremely good touch and while Djokovic hasn’t played his best tennis he has got the job done in two of the three matches to make it to this stage.
This looks to be a three set match all day long but even if it is a straight set win for someone I expect both sets to be very tight. These two men are two of the best in the game and are fresh enough to give their all for a place in the final. Thiem has won four of the last six matches between the two but of the last five four have gone to a deciding set and the other was 76 76. These two play out lengthy battles so over 22.5 games looks a bit of a no brainer here.
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Evening Session
Jurgen Melzer & Edouard Roger-Vasselin vs Rajeev Ram & Joe Salisbury
The second doubles semi-final looks like it has the potential to be something of a mismatch as the Australian Open champions Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury look to go a win away from ending the year as the world number one pairing when they take on Jurgen Melzer and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
To say that the Austrian and French pairing are fortunate to be here is an understatement. They were getting bashed up in their second match against John Peers and Michael Venus who went on to choke when the winning line arrived and then needing to win their final match in straight sets they were getting another beating until Marcel Granollers’ shoulder went. Of all the teams appearing on Saturday they are playing with the house money but they will need to up their game here against a Ram and Salisbury who played their best match last time out against the German pairing of Andreas Mies and Kevin Krawietz. The way Melzer and ER-V are still here is incredible but they can’t have many lives left and I expect their luck to run out here.
Daniil Medvedev vs Rafael Nadal
The second singles semi-final is a repeat of the US Open final from last season which was pretty incredible and if this one is anything like as good as that the day is going to be rounded off in fine style when Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal collide for the fourth time.
Nadal has won all of the previous three meetings but that US Open final he fell over the line and when they met in the group stage here last year the Spaniard came out in front in a final set tiebreak so this one has the makings of being something very special. Nadal has been brilliant this week and has quickly put to bed that he struggles on an indoor hard court. Having had his record on this surface rammed down his throat all week he is clearly here to put that right. Nobody has played better tennis than Daniil Medvedev over the last couple of weeks though so this is a feet up and watch an epic job.
As with the first semi-final this has a close three set contest written all over it but once again the over in games has to be the way to play this one. The line is up a game for this match at 23.5 but with their last two matches having gone the distance, and with four of the eight sets finishing 75 or 76 the over looks to be in with every chance in a potential classic.
Tips
WON – Back D.Thiem vs N.Djokovic – Over 22.5 games for a 3/10 stake at 1.73 with Boylesports
WON – Back D.Medvedev vs R.Nadal – Over 23.5 games for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Boylesports
Back them here:
Back R.Ram & J.Salisbury to beat J.Melzer & E.Roger-Vasselin for a 3/10 stake at 1.75 with BetVictor
Back them here:
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