Juan Pablo Varillas vs Dominic Thiem Prediction & Betting Tips - Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan

Prediction published on 28/09/2023, 03:13  by Kennedy Kechula in Tennis Predictions

Juan Pablo Varillas will seek back-to-back victories against Dominic Thiem when the two unseeded players meet at the Astana Open on Thursday. The winner of this first-rounder will play either eighth-seed Stan Wawrinka or unseeded Marcos Giron next. Juan Pablo Varillas defeated Thiem back in February at the Argentina Open to draw level in this series at one win apiece. He will set out to achieve the same outcome and start off his debut here with victory. Varillas’ last match was in Chengdu where he was eliminated in the second round. The Peruvian has struggled to find his footing on hard courts and has lost six of 10 matches on the surface. He has compiled a 25-23 record thus far and is currently ranked 65th in the live ranking.

Dominic Thiem is also making his debut in Astana. He will hope a three-week break from the tour will have rejuvenated him and allow him to challenge for yet another title. Thiem was last on the court at the US Open where he was a second-round exit. Before that, the Austrian had lost the Kitzbuhel final. That runner-up finish ended a three-year wait for a tour final appearance for the four-time Grand Slam finalist. Thiem has struggled in 2023 and currently has lost more matches than he has won. He has compiled a 19-24 record and has won only one of the six matches he has played on hard courts. The former world number three is currently ranked 80th in the live ranking.