Reigning Dallas Open champion Ben Shelton will continue his journey on clay when he takes on his countryman Emilio Nava in the BMW Open by Bitpanda (ATP 500) in Munich, Germany, on Monday. Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens will also aim to make a strong start in the Open De Rouen (WTA 250) when she takes on Veronika Podrez in the tournament opener.
These are just two of the many matches from which we are going to bring you the best bets and tennis picks for the day. After the successful conclusion of the Monte Carlo Masters and the Linz Open, the clay swing on the ATP tour continues in Barcelona and Munich, while the WTA tour resumes in Stuttgart and Rouen, France.
Top Tennis Picks and Best Bets for the Day
Ben Shelton vs. Emilio Nava: Total Games Set 1, 11 Games or More (+110)
This will be the first professional meeting on tour between the two Americans. While Shelton is being touted as the heavy favorite to win the tie, his recent results tell a different story. Since the Australian Open, Shelton has played four ATP events, and most of his matches there have gone to a 7-5 or 7-6 scoreline in the opening set.
Seven out of his last 10 matches have produced a 7-6 or 7-5 result in the opening set, irrespective of the final result. Six of those results have come against unseeded players. He is predicted to win the opener at the BMW Open. Expect Nava to push Shelton in the opening set, thereby taking the tally of total games over 11.
Sloane Stephens vs. Veronika Podrez: Stephens to Win the Match (-130)
This will be the first meeting on tour between Stephens and Podrez, as both players aim to make a positive start in Rouen. The former World No. 3 and Grand Slam champion has struggled with consistency on tour this year, and the same goes on the other side of the net, where Podrez continues to struggle.
Expect Stephens to win the tie in three sets as the Ukrainian might hope to spring a surprise over the American but fall just short of matching her intensity on court, given her rich experience from top events this year.
Stanislas Wawrinka vs. Cameron Norrie: Total Games Under 21.5 (-110)
Stan Wawrinka is back in action. He is in his final year on tour before officially retiring from the sport at the age of 41. He has three Grand Slam titles to his name. The Swiss will face Cameron Norrie in the opening round of the Barcelona Open on Monday. The duo has met twice previously, with Wawrinka leading the head-to-head battle 2-0.
While in one meeting, the total games went above 21, the other produced only 17, which makes the total games under 21.5 a lucrative pick for the match. Moreover, Norrie could have his first and maybe only chance to register a win against the Swiss on tour. Expect the Brit to win the tie in straight sets, keeping total games under 21.
Jack Draper vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry: Draper to Win Most Games in the Match -1.5 (-120)
A resurgent Jack Draper is aiming to win his maiden title of the year after being initially sidelined during the Australian swing due to an injury. The Middle East swing and Sunshine Double produced inconsistent results for the Brit, who will aim to make a winning start in Barcelona on Monday.
This will only be the second meeting between Draper and Etcheverry. Their previous meeting came in the opening round of the 2023 French Open, where the Argentine advanced to the next round after Draper retired from the contest in the second set.
While Etcheverry is bound to pose a big challenge to the Brit, expect Draper to make a winning start in the Barcelona Open, thereby winning the most games in the match.
Reilly Opelka vs. Ethan Quinn: Total Games Over 24.5 (-115)
This will be the second time the two countrymen face each other in less than a month. The duo had earlier squared off in the opening round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, where Opelka won in straight sets.
Given that the match produced 25 games in total, the same shouldn’t hold on the clay surface in Barcelona. Quinn is expected to deliver a major surprise in the match, as the conditions in Spain could favor his momentum and overall agility. Quinn should manage to get a break of serve and win in three sets, which should push the totals over 24.
*All bets and wagers sourced from BetMGM
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