Power ruled the week last week in Canada, and that should be the case again with the courts in Cincinnati. Big servers and shot makers did very well. Last year this event took place in New York with COVID restrictions, so the atmosphere should be top notch. That atmosphere can play into the favor of players such as last week’s champion, Daniil Medvedev. But let’s make some picks for today.
Tennis Odds & Betting Picks: 2021 Western Open Round 1
Reilly Opelka (-215, SugarHouse)
Opponent: Corentin Moutet
Venue: ATP Tour, Cincinnati (Hardcourt)
Reilly Opelka is happy to back on hardcourts. He has taken full advantage of his huge serve, winning seven of his last 10 matches and making a finals appearance last week. 2021 has not been favorable to Opelka, but if the last few weeks are any indication, he should handle Corentin Moutet here pretty easily. These two carry very different styles, with Moutet relying much on his movement to keep rallies going. That could work in his favor, but his game is much more built for clay.
Moutet defeated Opelka on clay in 2019, which could help keep the Opelka odds in check. That said, the tennis betting market will see an American on hardcourts and click him in, so this number will go up. Placing a bet a day early is not always the most exciting thing, but with his finals appearance just yesterday, it works in his favor.
Yulia Putintseva (-143, SugarHouse)
Opponent: Shuai Zhang
Venue: WTA Tour, Cincinnati (Hardcourt)
Playing Shuai Zhang can be absolutely painful, but Yulia Putintseva should be up to the task. Putintseva has been a bit enigmatic in 2021, hovering around a .500 win percentage on all surfaces. Working in her favor is her power advantage and a win over Zhang in this event last year. Zhang will gladly play defensive tennis, but with Putintseva’s reliance on her angle play, she should chase Zhang around the court, creating some easier opportunities.
Along with the moneyline bet, it also makes sense to take the spread at -1.5 for Putintseva, as Zhang will not run away with any set. Zhang retired last week with an injury and has recovered, but it could also be something that affects the outcome and give Putintseva an edge.
Parlay Picks
Sloane Stephens (-167), Alison Riske (+270), Paula Badosa (-3.5), Jelena Ostapenko (-180), Lloyd Harris (-286)
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