Tennis betting: We're backing Jannik Sinner to dominate in Barcelona

Tennis betting: We're backing Jannik Sinner to dominate in Barcelona

It is officially the clay season in ATP tennis and there are three tournaments happening this week: the Bavarian International Tennis Championships (ATP Munich), the Banja Luka Open (ATP Banja Luka) and the Barcelona Open (ATP Barcelona).

Turning to Thursday’s matches, I’m focusing on one of the best players on tour right now, 21-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner.

The bet: Jannik Sinner vs. Yoshihito Nishioka UNDER 17.5

Sinner’s game packs a punch, even on clay. With one of the best baseline games on tour, Sinner has been on a bit of a roll since winning ATP 250 Montpellier in early February. Since then, he is 17-4 and has made at least the semifinals in four straight events while losing to Daniil Medvedev twice and Carlos Alcaraz. Not a bad duo of players to have faltered against.

I expect Sinner to defeat Nishioka in straight sets. Unfortunately, backing Sinner to win 2-0 is -460. Taking the UNDER on total games is the alternative. Nishioka is a solid player in his own right. However, if any player wants to be competitive against elite opponents such as Alcaraz, Medvedev and Sinner, you need to have a weapon. Nishioka’s best part of his game is that he’s a bit of a backboard. The problem with that, Sinner is too powerful and it will overwhelm.

Plus, on slower surfaces this year, Nishioka has shown that he can get wiped off the court. He was double-bageled (lost 6-0) in the Australian Open against Karen Khachanov, bageled in the second set against Oscar Otte in Delray, lost in straight sets to Frances Tiafoe, and bageled once again to clay-court specialist Christian Garin at Indian Wells. All great opponents. Sinner is better.

Bet Sinner to defeat Nishioka, UNDER 17.5 games.