Japanese compatriots and Davis Cup team mates Go Soeda and Tatsuma Ito face off in the 1st round of the Houston ATP event today.
These guys know each others game almost as well as their own, and Soeda clearly has the wood on Ito with a 5-1 head 2 head record, winning each time in straight sets, and only failing to reach 6 just once in the 12 sets they have played.
Neither player is very experienced on clay, so the straight sets win Soeda enjoyed over Ginepri in the qualifiers should also give Soeda the edge with court knowledge.
I will be playing 2-3 units on this one when the odds come out at 5 Dimes.
Go Soeda
Spanish up n comer Roberto Bautista-Agut will be a nice priced underdog to Italian Potito Starace in the first round at Casablanca. An underdog I plan to jump on for 1.5 units.
Starace is a confidence player who has lacked it all year. Dropping back from ATP regular to Challenger tour duties, his record sat at just 2-8 for the last 10 matches before his home Challenger event last week where he made the final.
You might think that would be the confidence boost he needed, but the manner in which he was annihilated in the final just 2 days ago, 6-2 6-0, as the hot priced favorite will have a negative effect on this fragile fellow for sure.
Like Soeda, Bautista-Agut is both on a strong run of form and has enjoyed the benefit of 2 qualifying matches at the venue. Against Potito flying in late for the clash.
Roberto Bautista-Agut
Update
Go Soeda -200* vs Tatsuma Ito risk 2 units
Roberto Bautista-Agut +115* vs Potito Starace risk 1.5 units
and parlaying both for +223 risk .5 unit
All bets at 5 Dimes.
I bet these matches this way as it leaves me with these possible results;
Both lose -4 units
One wins -1 unit
Both win +3.75 units
I calculate this out as 10% chance of losing 4U + 60% chance of losing 1U / 30% chance of winning 3.75U = 1/1.125, or 12.5% better than what I see as true odds. (approx)
Also taking Lamine Ouahab +313* vs Robin Haase .25u
