Christopher O'Connell vs Li Tu Prediction & Betting Tips - Shanghai, China

Prediction published on 08/09/2023, 11:42  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 08/09/2023 at 12:51 in Tennis Predictions

Top seeded Chris O'Connell takes on unseeded Li Tu in the last four of the Shanghai Challenger Tour event. The other half of the draw of this hard court tournament sees second seed Yosuke Watanaki facing fourth seed Shang Juncheng. O'Connell is 60th in the live rankings (a new career high) and can rise another place if reaching the final. He made it to the second round of the US Open and took a set off Daniil Medevev but that was the only one he could win. The Australian headed off to Shanghai for this Challenger Tour event and has had few problems reaching the last four. His three wins have all come in straight sets with only 13 games lost in six sets won. Six of those came in a first set tie-break against Yasatuka Uchiyama in the second round. Two sets have been won to love as he made his way to this semi-final.

Lin Tu has gone up 41 places in the live rankings thanks to this run to the last four. He's up to 215th and beating O'Connell would see him climb up to 194th in the rankings. That would be four places below his career high ranking achieved last October. The 27-year-old Australian won an ITF hard court tournament earlier in the year but didn't beat anyone ranked in the top 700 that week. Last month saw him get to the last eight of a Challenger Tour event held in China. This week has seen him get to the last four without dropping a set but has not played any seeded players. We go for O'Connell to reach the finale.