The Cinch Championships have officially kicked off on Monday, June 17. Day two of the tournament brings a very exciting matchup, featuring home hero Andy Murray, up against Australia’s Alexei Popyrin.
This matchup comes with a number of juicy odds and betting markets, and we have conducted a thorough analysis to help you choose the perfect odds for this encounter. Read on for our Murray vs Popyrin prediction and betting tips.
Player Form: Murray Looking to Rebuild
Murray returns to the Queen's Club, where he has already prevailed five times.
Despite having a disappointing season this year, Murray has returned to his most-conquered court yet again, in an attempt to regain his dominance before retiring from the game.
After a solid performance at Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami, Murray suffered a ligament injury. This caused him to be sidelined for two months. His recent performances have not been that great as well, with first-round defeats at both Roland-Garros and the recent Stuttgart Open.
Popyrin, on the other hand, overcame some brutal qualifiers to secure his spot in the round of 32 of the Cinch Championships. The 24-year-old hasn't won a title this year but will be hoping to pull off an upset against the symbol of British tennis, Murray.
How the Bookies View It: Advantage Murray
Bookmaker bet365 is slightly favouring Murray to emerge as the victor of this encounter with odds of 1/1 to win. Meanwhile, Popyrin is not far behind at 4/5 to win. Set betting suggests a 2-1 victory for Murray, with this result paying 3/1.
Recent Head-to-Head: Nothing to See Here
Their Tuesday clash is going to be the first time Murray and Popyrin come across each other. The 24-year-old Popyrin hasn’t had many opportunities to lock horns with tennis’ best over his short career so far.
Anything Else Catch The Eye?
Murray has been hinting at retiring after this summer season, but it looks like he might call it quits even sooner. He mentioned wanting to wrap up his career at Wimbledon or the Olympics.
The Brit has been struggling a bit too much in recent years, with a 5-11 win-loss record this season. But hey, he’s won the Queen's Club Championship five times, so why not aim for a sixth before hanging up his racket? Now that he's bounced back from his injuries, fans are hoping to see the fierce old Murray back on the court.
Popyrin's season hasn't exactly been a walk in the park either. He hasn't made it past the round of 16 in any tournament since the ATP 250 in Doha. With a 10-10 win-loss record, Popyrin is currently ranked No. 48 in the ATP rankings.
However, he pulled off two wins in a single day during the qualifiers to win his spot in the Cinch Championships. He beat Otto Virtanen 6-4, 6-4, and then took down Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-4. He has maintained a 72 percent first-serve win rate and saved 65 percent of breakpoints this season.
Murray vs Popyrin Betting Tips & Prediction
Murray has long been a prominent name in the tennis world. While he’s lost his touch a little bit through age and injury, we say he’ll get the better of Popyrin in this one thanks to a raucous home crowd.
- Murray to win 2-1 @ 3/1
- Murray to win @ 1/1
Murray and Popyrin will play third on the Centre Court, not before 2:30pm local time.