Sumit Nagal has been one of the better stories of this year’s Australian Open and while he seems to have improved on hard courts, it’s still too small of a sample size for me to adjust my numbers too heavily. Beating Alexander Bublik on a quick court looks like a nice achievement on paper, but we all know that results of Bublik matches shouldn’t be taken into consideration too seriously. What it did show though was Nagal’s ability to extend points and unnerve opponents. Now will Shang Juncheng be rattled by Nagal’s play too? I don’t really see it.
The Chinese teen has started the 2024 season strong, beating seasoned players like Laslo Djere, Botic van de Zandschulp, Frances Tiafoe and now Mackie McDonald. His only loss came against Andrey Rublev in three sets. Shang has also worked on his fitness and while he did have physical issues during longer matches in the past, it seems like this is now a thing of such. Frankly, anything Nagal can do, Shang can do better and I bet on the talented youngster to continue his quick rise.
Suggested Bets:
1u on Jerry Shang -1.5 sets at 1.88 (-114) with Pinnacle
Over 18s Only (21+ in some jurisdictions). 1 unit = 1% of bankroll. These are my bets that I am making. Please enjoy your betting responsibly. Never bet more than you can afford to lose, and do not chase a loss.