The Rothesay International in Eastbourne has finally hit its grand finale. After a series of intense matches, we now have our final contenders, Taylor Fritz and Max Purcell.
With this being the last tournament before Wimbledon, there are some fantastic betting opportunities up for grabs, and we're here to help you choose the best bets with our match analysis. Read on for our Fritz vs Purcell prediction and betting tips.
Player Form: Fritz is on Fire
The 2024 season has been shaping up beautifully for Fritz.
He's been playing some of his best tennis across all courts, with multiple quarter-final and semi-final appearances in ATP tournaments. After making it to the quarter-finals at the Queen's Club Championship, Fritz is now storming into the finals in Eastbourne, showing exceptional form on grass.
Fritz has reached the finals without dropping a single set. He received a bye in the first round, then defeated Thiago Seyboth Wild in the second 7-6(4), 6-3. In the quarter-finals, he clashed with Juncheng Shang and came out on top with another tight 7-6(5), 7-6(5) win. His semi-final match against Aussie Aleksandar Vukic was no different, as he clinched it 7-6(5), 7-6(4), making his way to the finals.
On the other hand, Purcell has surprised everyone with his resilience, making it all the way to the finals in Eastbourne. His season up until now hasn’t been very noteworthy, with quick exits in Houston and Roland-Garros during the clay season.
However, Purcell's campaign in Eastbourne has been exceptional.
He fought his way through the qualifiers to earn his spot in the Round of 32, where he defeated Laslo Djere 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Fritz then cruised past Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. In the quarter-finals, he faced Miomir Kecmanovic and won 6-3, 7-6(4). Then, in the semis, he battled it out against Billy Harris, winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to earn his spot in the finals.
How the Bookies View It: Fritz the Absolute Favourite
Bookmakers have Fritz as a heavy favourite coming into this clash, with the American sitting at 1/5 to win. Purcell is a big underdog at 7/2. Set betting puts the most likely result as a 2-0 to Fritz, paying 4/6, while he’s given a -3.5 handicap at 4/5.
Recent Head-to-Head: Fritz Has the Edge
Fritz and Purcell are facing each other for the second time. Fritz has a 1-0 edge over Purcell in their head-to-head, with their last encounter being in the Round of 32 of the ATP 500 in Basel, where Fritz defeated Purcell in a tough battle 7-6(7), 7-6(4).
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
Fritz has held a solid 27-12 win-loss record this season, highlighted by a title at the ATP 250 Delray Beach. The American has been putting everything into securing top spots in all his tournaments this season. His semi-final clash against Aleksandar Vukic in Eastbourne was also a thrilling back-and-forth affair, but Fritz managed to come out on top.
Fritz unleashed an impressive 15 aces and blasted a total of 26 winners. His first serve win rate was outstanding at 96 percent, and he saved every single breakpoint he faced.
Meanwhile, Purcell has had a tough season with a disappointing 6-14 win-loss record. He's faced early exits in nearly all events without any injuries to blame for his poor performance. However, he's shown a significant turnaround in his Eastbourne run.
In his semi-final showdown against Billy Harris, Purcell brought out six aces and fired off 21 winners. He saved 75 percent of breakpoints and maintained an impressive 76 percent first serve win rate.
Fritz vs Purcell Betting Tips & Prediction
Purcell has battled hard to reach the finals of the tournament, despite having a sedate season so far. However, it is going to be a difficult task going against the world No. 13 Fritz, who is in remarkable form. We predict Fritz to be the victor of this encounter.
- Fritz to win 2-0 @ 4/6
- Purcell +3.5 @ 10/11
Fritz and Purcell will play on the Centre Court at 7pm local time.
Bren is our resident Kiwi, and has been playing or watching sports down under in New Zealand for the better part of three decades. With 12+ years experience as a professional writer, Bren loves to dive deep into all things sport to bring the best betting analysis and predictions here at Mr Fixits Tips.
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