Zhizhen Zhang vs Bu Yunchaokete Prediction, Picks, Odds, H2H, 9/23/24

The first preview of the new week comes from the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open. It’s sure to be a big match, with two players going toe-to-toe on home soil and a guaranteed finalist for the home crowd to root on. Let’s look more at Zhizhen Zhang vs Bu Yunchaokete.

Yunchaokete’s win probability is up to 43% (it was below the 40% mark at one point), while Zhang is favored to win at 1.67 odds. The handicap is two games and the total games line is 22.5.

Our Zhang vs Yunchaokete prediction is for Zhang to cover the handicap.

Zhizhen Zhang vs Bu Yunchaokete Prediction: Back More Proven of the Home Favourites

• Prediction: Zhang -2 Games
• Best Odds: 1.93
• Bookmaker: Pinnacle
• Stakes: 4/10

Odds updated at 12:00 am UK Time on September 23rd, 2024. 

I’m surprised to see the market back Yunchaokete so heavily here. Perhaps I shouldn’t be, since he’s garnered a lot of respect in his last few matches against Karen Khachanov and Mikhail Kukushkin.

For my money, Zhang is the better player with a higher pedigree, who plays on the main tour far more often and consistently and employs a similar style to his countryman, but does it at a much higher level.

Had he struggled at any point this week or been on the court for lengthy periods, I might understand – at least to some extent – the market’s love for the underdog. I’m not close to that point though for wins over an incredibly out-of-form Khachanov and older Kukushkin who can be hit through.

More tennis previews can be found on the expert insights page.

Zhizhen Zhang Recent Form

With his ultra-aggressive and sometimes impatient and sloppy style, it’s no surprise that Zhang can be hot and cold regarding results.

Throw in being a top-50 player and constantly playing some really tough opponents, and that lack of consistency can make it tough to get on a roll. He is showcasing what he can do this week when not tasked with tough opponents or some of the best in the game.

On quicker courts, his power can be really tough to deal with and his first serve has been a major weapon for him. Without having to play the likes of Jack Draper (U.S. Open first round), Andrey Rublev (Cincinnati second round), or Alexander Zverev (Hamburg quarterfinals) in the early stages, he can threaten for a trophy.

He may be forced into a few more errors in this one with his opponent possessing more pop than those he’s played this week, but I’m sure he’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t have the chance to play for a trophy in front of a home crowd this week, since he’s the much better player entering this contest.

Bu Yunchaokete Recent Form

There is no denying that the summer has been a fruitful one for the 22-year-old. He has torn up the hard court swing down on the Challenger Tour and he’s propelled himself into the top 125 in the rankings (this run will see him debut in the top 100). That all speaks to his form and ability.

That said, there are a few caveats. First, as I mentioned earlier, he does play a similar style in terms of aggression and going for his shots. Not having proven himself nearly as much, I’m concerned about where he carves out his path to victory against Zhang.

The other thing that concerns me is that not only was all the success before this week achieved on a lower circuit but it was done in North America, where fields don’t tend to be as strong. I’m much more skeptical regarding the quality of competition Yunchaokete has faced to put this strong run together than the market appears to be.

Zhizhen Zhang vs Bu Yunchaokete H2H – Stat of the Match

This is the first meeting between the two. That in and of itself tells us something though, since you’d expect them to have played before if this was as tight of a matchup as the market is making it out to be. Yet one plays the vast majority of his matches on the main ATP Tour and the other plies his trade more so at the Challenger level.

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