UK: 18+ USA: 21+ | Begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly
One of the more exciting second-round matches is approaching quickly at the 2024 Acapulco Open. Tonight, it’s Shelton vs Arnaldi set to face off for a spot in the quarters. This match should have plenty of fireworks and drama, and I’ve given my tennis predictions today for this contest below.
Our favourite Ben Shelton vs Matteo Arnaldi predictions
Contents
Both of these guys scraped through to the second round in three sets against their respective opponents. Shelton took out Evans, while Arnaldi took out the number 4 seed, Taylor Fritz. Of course, this is a huge win for Arnaldi, especially since Fritz was highlighted as a title contender in my initial ATP Acapulco Open preview.
So what does all of this mean for my predictions ahead of this game?
Arnaldi to win a set – yes @ 4/6 (1.67)
Arnaldi has been a bit of a rising star on the ATP Tour over the last 12 months. The young Italian has come from nowhere really, and clearly, he is capable of taking out the big dogs. This is shown by the fact that he beat Taylor Fritz in round one, which makes me feel he can at least score a set against Shelton.
Over 22.5 games @ 4/5 (1.80)
The reason I am shooting for the ‘over 22.5 games’ market is that Shelton is a true battler. So even if Arnaldi wins the first set, Shelton will never go down without a fight. And really, Shelton’s game is big enough to push Arnaldi all the way. In fact, he is favoured to win based on the latest odds.
Ben Shelton vs Matteo Arnaldi odds
The most recent odds for this match show a win probability of 69.20% for Shelton and a 38.10% chance for Arnaldi.
Can Arnaldi dispatch another American seed in the Acapulco Open 2024?
Matteo Arnaldi has already caused one upset in Acapulco, but can he cause another? The following previews give more of an idea.
Ben Shelton preview
Shelton has been playing okay in 2024, but he’s not produced the kind of tennis that took him to the US Open semi-finals in 2023. Furthermore, he was shaky against Evans in round one, overcoming the Brit in a third-set tie-break. In my opinion, Arnaldi is playing better than Evans at the moment, which makes things interesting coming into this match.
Matteo Arnaldi preview
Arnaldi has been there or thereabouts all season long, yet he’s struggled to pull through in three-set matches. In fact, he has lost in three sets in his last two tournaments to in-form guys like Max Purcell and Rinky Hijikata. Yet, he’s finally come through a third-set contest against Fritz, which will give this fearless Italian hope against Shelton.
Shelton vs Arnaldi head to head
As things stand, Ben Shelton and Matteo Arnaldi have never played each other on the ATP Tour. Therefore, a 1-0 lead for one of these guys is inevitable following the conclusion of this game.
Key match details
- Match Schedule – February 29th, 00:30 GMT
- Venue – Acapulco, Mexico
- Viewing Options – Sky Sports, Tennis TV
Subscribe to Punditfeed on Google News for all the latest updates from the world of sports!
