Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Men’s Singles Final
Rafael Nadal vs Kei Nishikori
Fans of Kei Nishikori were definitely thrilled to see him back at the top of the pro tour, making big strides in the tournament. He reminded sports betting fans why he is still worthy of a punt despite his absence in the US Open and the Australian Open.
He will be facing a tough challenge in the final against Rafael Nadal, the overwhelming favourite among betting websites. Betting odds of -1.50 @ 1.24 means that many expect Rafael Nadal to sweep through the Japanese star in straight sets. Meanwhile, Nishikori got a boost from Asian handicap odds, giving him 3.50 for a +1.50 safety net.
Their prior match history justifies why the odds as skewed the way they are. Nishikori won only two of the ten games they have played in the tour. His last victory over Nadal was in the 2016 Olympics where the Spaniard forced a final set before Nishikori was able to seal the game.
Moreover, Nadal’s performance so far this season has been nothing short of impeccable. The World No1 settled all of his Monte Carlo matches in swift fashion. Grigor Dimitrov’s performance in the first set of the semi-final was the biggest semblance of a resistance seen from Nadal’s opponents.
While Nadal has every right to feel confident, he insisted on working on his forehand winners ahead of this match. His physical and mental condition will be in top form when they meet, and he will remind everyone why he is the King of Clay.
However, not all hope is lost for Nishikori. Dimitrov provided a bit of a template to show how he can win games. As long as he remains steadfast and maximizes his weapons, he has a shot of at least getting a set out of Nadal. He survived scares from Tomas Berdych, Andreas Seppi, Marin Cilic and Alexander Zverev. While Nadal is a notch above these men, he can definitely come back from whatever ditch the Spaniard tries to leave him in.
It is highly likely to see Nadal hoisting the trophy for a record 11th time, but Nishikori won’t likely let that happen easily. We will definitely see exciting tennis being played at Monaco.
For the latest sports update, promotions and betting picks with SBOBET get social with our official Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Facebook accounts. Visit SBOBET and join us now. Start placing your bets today!
Click for more tennis betting options.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
