Despite the dust having only just settled from events at Wimbledon last week, those looking for further tennis action need look no further. Although far from being on the same level of the grass at SW19, the Swedish Open has attracted a stellar line-up this year, with plenty of big names battling it out for the title in Båstad. The likes of Fernando Verdasco, Albert Ramos and David Ferrer are among the main contenders, however it is Andrey Kuznetsov and Diego Schwartzman who are the only players to have made it safely through to the quarter finals so far.
For those looking to bet on tennis this week, the encounter between the Russian and Argentine could well be worth a look, with little to separate the duo in the world rankings. Neither player has shone on the biggest stage throughout their respective careers to date, with the third round of a grand slam the best performance from either one. However, both enjoy playing on the clay in Sweden, with both having knocked out seeded players on their way to the quarter finals. Let’s take a closer look at the two players, as well as our top betting tip for the match.
Andrey Kuznetsov
Despite being more suited to the speed of grass courts, Kuznetsov has adapted his game over recent years, and is now a more than useful player on clay too. The 26-year-old is currently ranked at 78 in the world rankings, however his talent means that he is certainly a potential top-20 player. Having battled back from a set down, Kuznetsov saw opponent and first seed, Pablo Carreno Busta withdraw during the final set of their round of 16 tie, leaving the Russian to face Schwartzman.
Diego Schwartzman
Having grown up on clay in Argentina, Schwartzman is a player who has made a name for himself over recent years, reaching the third round of the French Open earlier this year. Achieving his highest ever world ranking of 34 back in April, the 24-year-old is now a match for anyone on this surface. Schwartzman saw off compatriot Renzo Olivo in the last round, and will be looking to win just a second singles title this week.
Top Betting Tip
Given his current ranking, as well as his favouritism to the clay courts in Sweden, it is difficult to look beyond a win for Diego Schwartzman. As a result, our top betting tip for the match is to back the Argentine to overcome Kuznetsov, which can be found at best odds of 8/13 at Coral. It may well be that the match goes down to a deciding set given the performances of Kuznetsov this week, however Schwartzman should have just enough to overcome his opponent.