Felix Auger Aliassime vs Sebastian Ofner Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Japan Open

Prediction published on 17/10/2023, 17:37  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 17/10/2023 at 19:36 in Tennis Predictions

World number 19 Felix Auger Aliassime will take on 42nd-ranked Sebastian Ofner in the second round of the ATP Tokyo Open on Wednesday. The winner of this match will move on to face either Marcos Giron or Casper Ruud in round three. Auger Aliassime has been struggling since returning to the hard courts back in July. The Canadian has not gotten past the second round of any tournament since Wimbledon. His first-round win here in Tokyo over Aleksander Vukic was his first victory in his last five matches. The last time he had won a match was at the Cincinnati Masters. However, while he got the much-needed win over Vukic, it was not a very convincing performance. The Australian matched Auger Aliassime step for step in the first round and broke him twice to claim the second set. The Canadian is now 16-17 for the year and 12-12 on the hard surface. Despite his underwhelming record, Auger Aliassime’s class is undeniable, and the bookmakers make him the favourite in this one. 

Meanwhile, Ofner has had a very productive season to date. He began the year winning the Tenerife 1 Challenger event and has made a further five final appearances on the Challenger circuit since then. His most recent title success came in Salzburg, where he beat Lukas Neumayer in straight sets. Since stepping up to the ATP circuit, Ofner has done fairly well, reaching the quarter-final in Bastad and the final four last month in Astana. Notably, the Austrian started the season ranked 193rd and is currently at his peak career ranking inside the top 50. Ofner claimed another high-profile scalp in the first round of this competition, beating Christopher Oconnell in a grueling three sets. With that, his record now reads as 57-27 for the year and 12-9 on the hard court, which is not his favoured surface. Ofner is the underdog here but will fancy his chances against an opponent who is not at his best at the moment.