Marin Cilic vs Alexei Popyrin Prediction & Betting Tips - Singapore, Singapore, Qualifying

Prediction published on 26/02/2021, 08:09  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 26/02/2021 at 09:18 in Tennis Predictions

Marin Cilic has dropped out of the world's top 40 but will make his return if winning this match. He's seeded third in the Singapore Open and takes on unseeded Alexei Popyrin in the semi-final. Cilic is a former top ten player but injuries and subsequent poor form have seen him slip down the rankings. He was the US Open champion seven years ago but has lost in the first round of his last two Grand Slam events, losing to Grigor Dimitrov in the recent Australian Open. Cilic also lost in the first round of a Melbourne warm-up tournament, so arrived in Singapore still looking for his first victory of 2021. He has shown better form this week as he looks to win his 19th APT tour final, the last being at Queen's (the Wimbledon warm-up tournament) in 2018. Cilic won his first match in straight sets then had to go to three to defeat eighth seeded S-w Kwon in the quarter final.

His opponent is ranked 114th in the world but a win in this game will see his ranking down to double figures. The 21-year-old Australian has had a good year so far. He reached the third round of the Melbourne tournament and like Cilic, lost to Grigor Dmitrov. Popyrin then caused a shock in the Australian Open, beating seeded David Goffin in the first round before losing a five-setter to Lloyd Harris in round two. He has yet to play a seed in this tournament and has had three wins over qualifiers and wild cards. Cilic can get the win here and a side bet on a tie break in the match also looks a good one to make as Popyrin has had three in his matches so far.