The Geneva Open has entered its thrilling second round, setting the stage for some ferocious matchups. Headlining Tuesday’s play is a showdown between Ben Shelton and Flavio Cobolli.
The winner of this match will secure a spot in the quarter-finals and gain a considerable amount of momentum ahead of the upcoming Roland-Garros.
World No. 15 Shelton will start his run in the Geneva Open after a demoralising defeat against Zhizhen Zhang in the third round in Rome. However, he has had a remarkable year with a 17-9 win-loss record. His highlight so far has been winning a title in Houston, where he defeated Frances Tiafoe in the finals – on clay, mind you.
Cobolli, on the other hand, achieved a career-high rank of No. 56 and reached the second round after defeating Aslan Karatsev in straight sets. The Italian is also in strong form, with a 12-11 win-loss record this year.
Both the players are keen to make an impact in Geneva and tune up their skills ahead of Roland-Garros. Which of them is more likely to reach the quarter-finals? Read on for our Shelton vs Cobolli prediction and betting tips.
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How the Bookies View it: Shelton the Favourite
Bookmaker bet365 is slightly inclined towards Shelton on this matchup, making him the favourite pick with an 8/11 win. Cobolli is not far behind, however, sitting at 5/4 to win. Set betting suggests a 2-0 win for Shelton with this result paying 2/1.
Recent Head-to-Head: Advantage Shelton
Shelton and Cobolli haven’t met before on the ATP Tour. At aged 21 and 22 respectively, both are fairly new and haven’t had a chance to play each other.
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
Statistically, Shelton clearly stands at an advantage in this match up. The American has a 17-9 win-loss record in 2024 and is at 6-2 on clay this year. Cobolli, on the other hand, has a 12-11 win-loss record at 5-5 on clay. Who would have thought it would be Shelton with all the clay court momentum ahead of this clash.
Shelton has also been better under pressure this season than Cobolli. The No 4 seed has saved more than 70 percent of breakpoints in 2024. Cobolli is at a little over 64 percent this year.
Cobolli is one of six Italians 23 years or younger currently in the world’s top 100. With Sinner leading the charge, Italian tennis is alive and well.
Shelton vs Cobolli Betting Tips and Predictions
Ben Shelton is expected to emerge triumphant in this showdown. The American has been playing great clay-court tennis, and we give him an edge here.
- Shelton to win @ 8/11
- Shelton to win 2-0 @ 2/1
Shelton and Cobolli will play fifth on the Centre Court at the Geneva Open on Tuesday, not before 6pm local time. While you're waiting, check out our Draper vs Machac prediction, which also takes place on Tuesday.
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