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Horse Racing Ugo Humbert vs Pavel Kotov Prediction, Stats, Form, H2H, February 21st
For our Wednesday preview, we’ll look to avoid the rain down in Brazil and instead turn to the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, one of the two ATP 250s occurring this week.
Let’s delve a bit more into Ugo Humbert vs Pavel Kotov and see how this matchup could play out and each player’s form in somewhat slow conditions.
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Our Humbert vs Kotov prediction is for Kotov to win.
In this article:
- Ugo Humbert vs Pavel Kotov Prediction
- Ugo Humbert Recent Form
- Pavel Kotov Recent Form
- Ugo Humbert vs Pavel Kotov H2H Stat of the Match
- Safer Gambling
Ugo Humbert vs Pavel Kotov (Qatar ExxonMobil Open) Prediction: Solid Kotov Can Trouble Powerful Lefty
- Prediction: Kotov to win
- Best Odds: 3.50
- Bookmaker: Pinnacle
- Stakes: 2/10
Odds as at 3:45 am UK Time on February 21st, 2024. Odds may now differ.
I like a few things about this matchup for Kotov. The first is that he’s a very talented player who has had his fair share of trouble finding consistent success. Next, I think he has the rally tolerance that could be rewarded in medium-slow conditions that should only get slower as the day progresses (he’s third on the court and that could be sometime in the evening, with the match concluding in night time conditions, which also slow things down). Finally, with Humbert’s powerful lefty forehand, I want someone with a backhand I can trust if I’m going to bet against the Frenchman. Kotov has just that.
Read on for more Expert Insights.
Ugo Humbert Recent Form
Humbert has enjoyed a pretty nice start to his year. After collecting a title indoors in Metz late last year, he managed to snag another 250 title on home soil a few weeks back in Marseille.
The tall Frenchman plays with a big lefty game, hitting a huge first serve and playing aggressive, front foot tennis from the forehand wing. He also plays a flatter hitting style more often than not, and that is another offensive tactic usually rewarded in quicker conditions. Now, as things slow down and winners are harder to come by, that lower margin style is tougher to sustain, as you have to hit more and more shots each point.
That’s where my primary concern is here for the 25-year-old. Sure, he should still find plenty of quick points behind his first serve, but when he is dragged into longer exchanges, I’m not as keen on his chances, as the lower net clearance on his shots can very quickly turn into a slew of netted balls and unforced errors.
We haven’t seen Humbert play much the last year or so on slower hard courts, but in Rotterdam last week he was ousted in the opening round by Emil Ruusuvuori in three sets – and that was in a year where Centre Court may have been playing quicker.
Pavel Kotov Recent Form
I’d classify Kotov’s start to the year as successful. He hasn’t played the toughest of schedules, yet he’s still had relatively tough draws at each tournament he’s played. His losses have been to Ruusuvuori on a quick court and the surging Flavio Cobolli at the Australian Open, while he has wins against the likes of Lorenzo Sonego, Lorenzo Musetti and Nuno Borges. Those are all top-50 players at the moment, with Borges being the surprise player of the Australian summer.
He has a serve that can earn him some cheap points, a strong enough forehand and his backhand is solid enough to hold up from the baseline and wait out opposition errors, rather than committing mistakes himself.
His ability to play both more offensive and defensive tennis has also seen him play decently across surfaces as well, and with the medium slow courts in Doha, I would hope he comes to this match looking to serve well and then play smart, patient tennis from the baseline. Should he let the court speed and evening conditions work in his favour, he has the tools needed to frustrate Humbert and pull off the upset.
Ugo Humbert vs Pavel Kotov H2H – Stat of the Match
These two have played just once and it took place indoors well over three years ago. Tough to put much stock into that match, with both men being far better players today than they were at the time of the match.
Plus, it was a three setter, so fairly close anyhow.
Humbert’s elo is well ahead of Kotov’s, but it’s worth remembering what I wrote above. He has scheduled himself the last year or so to avoid as many slower hard court tournaments as possible. With his game playing far better on quick courts, I think it’s tough to take much data for the last year or so on hard courts and expect that to be replicated or lived up to in this particular match.
SAFER GAMBLING
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