tennis | Friday, November 11, 2022 9:56 AM (Revised at: Friday, November 11, 2022 10:07 AM)

Friday Tennis Best Bet: ATP Challenger Roanne, Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fils

Jon Reid

Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fils Best Bet: Friday, November 11th

Nice simple win for Nikoloz Basilashvili against Mathias Bourgue from Roanne on Thursday, with Basilashvili outclassing his French opponent, and Bourgue taking a medical timeout in the opening set, indicating he may have been playing through a small injury to boot.

For Friday’s selection from the men’s game, we once again take a look at a match at the Challenger in Roanne, France, this time previewing the clash between Alexei Popyrin and Arthur Fils.

In this article:

Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fils Preview
Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fils Best Bet

Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fils Preview

November 11th, 23:00 UK Time

November 11th, 15:30 UK Time

Much like the women’s match we previewed on Thursday, this one has a decent case to be the one of the most entertaining matches from across the tennis world on Friday.

Much like Basilashvili on Thursday, Popyrin is a player who’s 2022 season has been one to forget and is likely playing Roanne looking to build form ahead of the 2023 season – especially as an Australian, where the season kicks off in just a matter of weeks.

He’s done so admirably up to this point this week, dispatching the mercurial Alexey Vatutin while losing just two games, and dismantling a somewhat underpowered Alibek Kachmazov in the second round.

Fils will be a bit tougher to take down, and it isn’t likely we’ll see him win while only dropping a few games a set as he’s done in three quarters of his sets played to this point, but he should be a bit larger of a favourite in my books.

This is a tough matchup for Fils, who possesses some firepower, but struggles to play a full match without uncorking a decent number of unforced errors.

Popyrin can match the Frenchman’s strengths, with a booming serve and forehand combo of his own, but comes in with more experience at this level, a bit more consistency to his game (even if he has struggled in that department this season) and much fresher legs this week.

Despite a strong first serve, Fils has only held his own service games at a rate of 80% this week. That likely won’t cut it against someone who can post quick, dominant service games of his own in a hurry like Popyrin.

Alexei Popyrin vs Arthur Fils Best Bet Best Bet

It’s been a bit of a rough path for the young Frenchman to reach this stage this week, and it makes sense, considering how raw his talent is.

With a big step up in competition in terms of form, hard-court ability and power, it’s odd to see his price only slightly cheaper than it was last round.

I’m happy to get involved and oppose him here against his toughest test yet, only having to give up a two-game head start.