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Karen Khachanov vs. Nuno Borges Odds
| Khachanov Odds | -335 |
| Borges Odds | +265 |
| Over/Under | 36 |
| Time | 8:40 a.m. ET |
| Odds via FanDuel. For tips on watching tennis matches, click here. | |
Karen Khachanov takes on Nuno Borges in the first round of the French Open, and an interesting matchup could be in store.
First round matches between top ranked players and up-and-comers always present interesting betting value. From confidence levels to mental consistency, to stylistic intricacies and technical bouts, there's much to uncover.
Khachanov resides at world No. 24 while previously reaching world No. 8, and he has had some recent issues falling to players well below his expected level.
Recently, he fell to the once great but now mediocre Lucas Pouille earlier this month. On the other hand, Borges has been playing phenomenal tennis. Although he is ranked No. 126, it is a career best for him and he's playing some quality tennis.
Borges recently won an ATP doubles title in Estoril and is one of the rising young players on tour.
Let's dive into the round one match.
Betting Value
Khachanov has had a disappointing year by his standards.
Sitting at 15-13 on the year and only 4-5 on clay, he is well below his once Masters winning level and more recent silver medal outing at the Tokyo Olympics.
Despite hard courts being his surface of choice, he has produced respectable results on clay, particularly here at Roland Garros.
Boasting a 15-6 record in Paris, he has only lost to the highest level of competitors. In consecutive years, he has fallen to Kei Nishikori, Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, and Andy Murray.
Borges is a surging player with a title and runner-up at the Challenger level this year. Borges thrives on clay courts and has the ability to pry errors out of any competitor. With only two matches against top 50 players in his career – both occurring in Estoril – he has failed to come out victorious but he has managed to take a set in both matches.
Purely on the mental side of a tennis match, this matchup will show us how one player's confidence and another's over-confidence will make this match closer than it should be.
Borges will come into this match with energy of the highest degree. In the midst of a potential breakout year and already qualifying in his first Grand Slam appearance, Borges will be ready for the fierce competition.
Khachanov enters Roland Garros following a disappointing year, with a match he is surely expecting himself to dominate, despite what recent form of both players may suggest. With the mix of high-energy confidence from Borges and potential loose play from Khachanov, this match will become more interesting than many viewers and Khachanov may expect.
I believe Khachanov will win this match, but it would be wrong to rule out Borges. I am willing to bet Borges puts up a fight and Khachanov goes through periods of mental lapses, spraying errors and giving Borges opportunities to make this match interesting.
Taking the over is the best bet in this match, as Khachanov will likely let Borges sneak into the scoreboard.
Pick: Over 35.5 Games (-110) via DraftKings
