Aslan Karatsev vs Tommy Paul Prediction & Betting Tips - Olympic Tournament

Prediction published on 22/07/2021, 12:54  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 23/07/2021 at 16:40 in Tennis Predictions

At the start of the year, Aslan Karatsev was ranked 112th in the world. He was 253rd this time last year, so couldn't have imagined being seeded 11th in this Olympic tournament. He takes on Tommy Paul in the first round with the winner up against Tomas Barrios or Jeremy Chardy in the last 32. Karatsev is world ranked 24th and has had a busy year. He goes into this tournament with a 23-11 record. His top performances this year include a semi-final at the Australian Open, then he won the Dubai Tennis Championships. April saw him lose to Matteo Berrettini in the final of the Belgrade clay court tournament, beating Novak Djokovic in the last four. That's one of a few big scalps he's claimed this year. Others include Diego Schwartzmann, (twice), Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev. His grass court season wasn't that successful but back on a hard court he's a real outsider for a medal.

Tommy Paul is the world number 54 and that's just below his career highest of 50th achieved last month. He's been in the 50s for the past 16 months, so rather consistent in that respect. 2021 has seen the American reach the last eight in Rotterdam and a semi-final in the clay court tournament held in Palmermo two months ago. All rather uneventful and a bit disappointing considering in 2015 he won the boys' singles in Paris and New York. He's never got past the third round of a Grand Slam and in Australia and France this year, he lost in the second round of both events. This is his first meeting with his opponent, go for Karatsev to get the win.