Marc Andrea Huesler vs Antoine Escoffier Prediction, Picks, Odds, H2H, August 16th

Our other preview for the day comes from the ATP Challenger Tour. Let’s look at Marc Andrea Huesler vs Antoine Escoffier from the Kozerki Open. Our Huesler vs Escoffier prediction at 2.90 odds is available below!

Escoffier ’s win probability is around just 35%, while Huesler is favoured to win at 1.45 odds. The handicap is 3.5 games and the total games line is 22.

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Marc Andrea Huesler vs Antoine Escoffier Prediction: Underdog is Live in Challenger Semifinal

• Prediction: Escoffier to win
• Best Odds: 2.90
• Bookmaker: Pinnacle
• Stakes: 2/10

Odds updated at 3:45 am UK Time on August 16th, 2024. 

Can’t have Huesler as the overwhelming favourite here. As well as he’s played this week, Escoffier is also finding himself dominating in certain sets. Then, much like yesterday’s handicap with Pablo Carreno Busta, I think Escoffier has a strong enough serve to take advantage of his opponent’s returning, even if it isn’t the biggest of serves on the secondary circuit.

Finally, there’s the fact that Escoffier is finally playing the kind of tennis we saw last year that made him a staple on the Challenger Tour and even earned him a top-150 ranking. On his best surface, with a few nice runs in recent times, I certainly think he has enough to warrant a more respectful valuation than this.

Marc Andrea Huesler Recent Form

The big serving lefty has been on a tear this week, cruising through his last four sets. The problem with that is he’s beaten a relative no name in Oscar Weightman and his younger countryman Dominc Stricker, who has been terrible since starting his season just a few months ago.

He did win his opening match against Alibek Kachmazov in straight sets as well, but it wasn’t nearly as dominant. I’d argue that his opponent in this one is either as good or maybe even a bit better than someone like the mercurial Russian and certainly more established at this level.

Huesler has also racked up the wins this season, but almost half of them have come in qualifying draws, whether at this level or on the main tour.

I just don’t trust his low margin, low net clearance, error prone game that doesn’t really have much to offer on the return of serve.

Antoine Escoffier Recent Form

The French journeyman had a tough time backing up a solid 2023 season that rarely saw him lose early on in Challengers this year, as he began the year in a big slump. That’s key, because the next section is going to highlight part of why he’s such a large underdog in this matchup and part of that is because he played Huesler during that terrible run of form.

Now, however, he looks like he’s back to being the solid Challenger Tour hard court player we saw blossom a season ago.

Just a few weeks back, he reached the final at a Challenger in Pozoblanco, Spain, before heading to Segovia and backing that run up with a trophy-lifting week.

Now he’s looking to reach his third final in his last four Challengers and has looked decent this week himself. Though he’s needed a few three setters, he’s also racked up lopsided sets, much like his lefty opponent.

I can’t make him a huge underdog here with his first serve, Huesler’s return game and the 32-year-old being on his best surface.

Marc Andrea Huesler vs Antoine Escoffier H2H – Stat of the Match

Huesler leads the series 3-0, with all the wins coming on hard courts – some indoors, others on outdoor courts. I mentioned that the Hamburg win earlier this year happened in the last section. It was lopsided, but it was also during the really poor start to the season for Escoffier. I’m anxious to see if he looks better this time around.

As for the other two wins? They were in 2018 and 2021. Those were times long before Escoffier’s breakout and development into a Challenger player. If the market wants to overreact to a 3-0 head-to-head, I’ll gladly take the other side with a break even percentage down around the 35% mark.

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