Novak Djokovic continues his pursuit of a seventh title at the ATP Rome Masters this Sunday, taking on Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in the third round.
Up against a more robust opponent in Tabilo, can Djokovic raise his level further and book a spot in the round of 16? Read on for our Djokovic vs Tabilo prediction and betting tips.
After a surprisingly rocky year, things appear to be returning to business as usual for Djokovic. The 24-time Grand Slam champion waltzed through his opening match for the loss of just four games. And the biggest drama? A water bottle being dropped on his head as he exited the arena.
While Djokovic has had a forgettable start to 2024, things couldn’t be more different for Tabilo. The 26-year-old is up to a career-high of No 32 in the world, off the back of a 15-9 start to the season. He lifted a maiden ATP title in Auckland in January, followed by a final in Santiago, semi-final in Bucharest, first-round wins in four of the five Masters events this year, plus a Challenger title a fortnight ago.
Now, Tabilo faces his biggest challenge of the season: a focused Djokovic. How will the match unfold? Read on for our expert analysis.
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How the Bookies View It: About as One-Sided as It Gets
Bookmakers have no love for Tabilo in this match-up, with Djokovic paying just 1/12 to win on Sunday. The Chilean is a massive dog at 13/2, evening paying 5/2 to win a set. A Djokovic 2-0 scoreline is the expected outcome, returning 2/9.
Recent Head-to-Head: Nothing to See Here
Djokovic and Tabilo are yet to meet on the ATP Tour, considering how recent Tabilo’s rise in the rankings has been. Just this time last year, the 26-year-old was ranked outside the world’s top 150.
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
Tabilo’s results this year may seem like he’s a seasoned veteran, but this is still his first time around on the ATP Tour. The majority of his career so far has been spent on the Challenger circuit. Playing on Centre Court in front of a packed crowd against an all-time great will be a new phenomenon for the Chilean; how he’ll respond is unknown.
Djokovic seems to be in a good headspace. This is increasingly important at this stage of the Serbian’s career. His ability on the tennis court is unquestionable – if anything, it’s his desire to continue playing that seems to waver at times. Seeing Djokovic joke around with fans about being hit in the head (he arrived wearing a bicycle helmet to sign autographs the next day) indicates that he’s enjoying his tennis in Rome.
Djokovic vs Tabilo Betting Tips & Predictions
Tabilo may pose a step up in opposition for Djokovic this week in Rome, but we say it won’t be enough to challenge the six-time champion. Tabilo is yet to defeat a top 20 opposition in completed matches; don’t expect that to happen today for the first time.
- Djokovic to win 2-0 @ 2/9
- Djokovic under 12.5 games @ 23/20
Djokovic and Tabilo will take to Centre Court third on Sunday, not before 2pm local time. Get your bets in before then to cash in on these tips.
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