Denis Kudla vs Fernando Verdasco Prediction & Betting Tips - San Diego, USA, Qualifying

Prediction published on 18/09/2022, 06:37  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 18/09/2022 at 11:04 in Tennis Predictions

World number 105 Denis Kudla takes on Fernando Verdasco in the San Diego Open first round. The winner takes on either fifth seeded Brandon Nakashima or Zachary Svajda in the second round. Kudla has been as high as 75th in the rankings this year but has not had the most successful of years. He lost in the first round of all four Grand Slam events this year. Current form is nothing to write home about with only one of his last nine matches being won. His best form this year has been shown on the Challenger Tour with one title and another final reached.  He's had two previous meetings with Verdasco and the score is 1-1. Kudla won the most recent meeting, that was on clay four years ago.

Fernando Verdasco is ranked 10 places below his opponent in the latest list (next update on Monday). He was given a wild card to get into the main draw of this San Diego Open. It's 13 years ago since he reached his highest ranking position of seventh. He has been climbing back up the rankings though after being 200th at the end of January. Like his opponent, he failed to win any matches in Grand Slam main draws this year (competing in two) and has four consecutive first round exits now. Verdasco did win three qualifying matches in the US Open and before that had reached the last eight of a Challenger Tour event held in Vancouver but didn't beat any top 120 ranked players. March saw him win a Challenger event held in Mexico but the number of losses he's had this year to players outside the top 100 is in double figures. Low stakes for this one, go for a Kudla win.