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The North American hardcourt swing rolls on in a big way this week with one of the year’s biggest tournaments, the Rogers Cup. With the men in Montreal and the women in Toronto, there is plenty to choose from.
Without further ado, let’s get into some picks.
Benoit Paire (+145) vs. Yoshihito Nishioka (-179)
Yes, we all know that betting on Benoit Paire can be scary. After all, he has won just nine matches all season. With that said, he’s got as good a chance as ever to get one here on Tuesday.
That’s because he’s playing Yoshi Nishioka, a player who just played a grueling week of tennis with roughly 12 hours on court in Washington, D.C. en route to the final there. While he did play some exceptional tennis, it’s unlikely that his legs will be underneath him here.
On top of that, Paire owns a 1-0 head-to-head record over Nishioka, taking him out on the hardcourts in Dubai back in 2018. These should be similar conditions; the courts are to Paire’s liking, which is to say they’re high-bouncing and nice and slow. I think he’s a big value play here.
Edge: Paire +145
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Miomir Kecmanovic (-154) vs. Botic Van De Zandschulp (+126)
Kecmanovic has found some form on the hardcourts, but I’m still not totally convinced after a few wins in Los Cabos that he’s back to where he was months ago, when he took the spring swing by storm. With that said, I think there is a ton of value here in Van De Zandschulp.
The Dutchman played some excellent tennis last week in Washington, D.C. when he lost to Frances Tiafoe, rocketing serves and forehands deep into the court. If not for a rain delay, he may have been able to take that match and make a deep run.
Instead, I think his run will come here in Montreal. Van De Zandschulp makes his money on hardcourts and made a name for himself during this swing last year. I think this will be another tough test for Kecmanovic and I certainly wouldn’t price him like this.
Edge: Van De Zandschulp +126
