Alex de Minaur vs Jack Draper Odds
| Alex de Minaur Odds | -125 |
| Jack Draper Odds | +100 |
| Over/Under | 9.5 (-140 / -110) |
| Time | How to Watch | Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| Odds via DraftKings. For tips on how to watch US Open tennis, click here. | |
The first quarterfinal of the day on the men's side will feature a first-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist in Jack Draper. He'll be looking to move one step closer to achieving his massive potential, but will be up against one of the best baseliners in the world in Alex de Minaur.
Let's get into the best way to bet on de Minaur vs Draper at the US Open on Wednesday.
de Minaur Shatters Expectations in Queens
Not much was expected of de Minaur at this year's US Open as he entered the draw after missing almost two months due to a hip injury. Well, he now finds himself in another Grand Slam quarterfinal with any concerns about his health falling by the wayside.
The Aussie didn't have the easiest draw in the world on paper, and perhaps that's the biggest reason as to why he enters this match as the favorite with oddsmakers quickly getting back on board, but he's found some fortune along the way. He first struggled against a weaker opponent in Marcos Giron, then received a wealth of unforced errors against Otto Virtanen and ran into a walking corpse in Dan Evans, who had already played the longest match in tournament history and had nothing left in his legs after the second set.
Against Jordan Thompson, it seemed as if de Minaur was in a bit of a bind following a commanding opening set. His fellow countryman rushed the net a great deal and remained vigilant in return games, influencing de Minaur into a 53% service night and winning a wealth of points on de Minaur's second serve.
The second serve and the battle at the net will be the two biggest things to watch as de Minaur seeks a first Grand Slam semifinal, which would put a bow on a breakout 2024 season.
Draper Hoping Fitness Continues to Hold Up
There isn't enough time to say all the things I'd like to say about Draper. He's an utterly tantalizing talent and possesses no discernible weaknesses in his game other than his oft-questionable fitness.
Draper is inherently difficult to play considering he's a left-hander, and his huge two-handed backhand only makes life tougher on opponents who look to do damage off the forehand wing. He can serve big and hit a heavy forehand, and also possesses lighting-fast speed with a feathery touch at the net.
The 22-year-old Brit has had the best year of his career in the fitness department, and while that isn't to say he's ben fully cured of his issues there, he's been proving he can go deep in matches and in tournaments since January. He'll be afforded a great chance to display his physical gains here considering he's yet to drop a set and even had the fortune of escaping his first-round on a retirement just a few games before it was set to finish in the third. The cooler conditions in New York should also go a long way toward preserving his energy.
de Minaur vs Draper Prediction & Pick
Everything seems to be breaking for Draper. His draw has opened up, temperatures are cool and he's yet to really expend much energy on court through three rounds. Everything's perfect, other than his opponent.
The Aussie owns a 3-0 head-to-head advantage in this matchup.
The interesting thing about the head-to-head is that you could make the case that all three have been due to fatigue for Draper. Their first meeting at Wimbledon was in the middle of a very abbreviated 2022 season for the Brit, and last year's match in Tokyo was at the end of the longest season Draper has ever played. The two met earlier in the year in Acapulco, but in extreme heat and humidity, Draper was forced to retire.
In each of those matches, Draper took a set and had he been feeling better in the later stages, you could make a very good argument he would have won all three.
de Minaur had some very shaky moments on serve against Thompson, and while he's an incredibly fit man in his own right, he'll surely be feeling it in the legs as he's had no time to build up stamina on the courts over the past two months. Draper, on the other hand, should be as fit as you can possibly be in the second week of a Grand Slam and won't have to fear hot conditions here as he has in the past two years.
I think a bet on Draper's improved fitness is a smart one, given how closely these two have played in the past.
