tennis | Tuesday, May 16, 2023 7:52 AM

Tuesday Tennis Best Bet: ATP Rome, Novak Djokovic vs Cam Norrie

Jon Reid

Novak Djokovic vs Cam Norrie Best Bet: Tuesday, May 16th

Tough three-set loss for Marco Cecchinato on Monday. Fair play to Yannick Hanfmann, who was the better from start to finish. Can’t complain with that loss much, it happens when we bet underdogs on a consistent basis.

Onto Tuesday, where I’ll look at the matchup featuring the tournament’s new favourite in Novak Djokovic, as he takes on Cam Norrie for a spot in the quarterfinals.

In this article:

Novak Djokovic vs Cam Norrie Preview
Novak Djokovic vs Cam Norrie Best Bet

Novak Djokovic vs Cam Norrie Preview

May 16th, 10:00 (UK Time)

It’s time for the field to start getting nervous about Djokovic being back.

He didn’t look great in Monte Carlo (though that’s become normal in the last few seasons) and he seemed below 100% in terms of health in Banja Luka. Now he’s rounding into form just in time for the Rome Masters and Roland Garros stretch, and he surely has his eyes squarely on another title that will get him closer and closer to the all-time titles record – especially with Carlos Alcaraz out of the event.

He’s had his issues with Centre Court so far (a few players have had complaints about the main show courts over the course of the past week), and battled what seemed like a stomach issue in the second round, but once he found his footing, he dominated Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second set and sent Grigor Dimitrov packing in short order in their third set.

Could a slow start be in the cards again? Sure.

Norrie, though, is a totally different matchup for Djokovic than Etcheverry and Dimitrov.

He doesn’t possess the weapons of either of those guys, and his ability to work the outer thirds isn’t going to be nearly as effective against one of the greatest returners and defenders of all time.

To make matters worse, his spin-heavy forehand lacks pace and is hitting crosscourt directly into the greatest backhand in the history of the sport, while his flat backhand that struggles on higher-bouncing clay is playing right into a Djokovic forehand that has looked even better than normal to this point in the tournament.

Novak Djokovic vs Cam Norrie Best Bet

It’s an odd situation where Djokovic is probably playing the best player he has to this point in the tournament. Yet it’s the match he’s most likely to dominate from start to finish.

Funny how this sport works. When it’s just two individuals rather than teams taking the court, the stylistic matchup is so much more important.

I have Djokovic moving through with ease far more often than not.