Tsonga and Nadal dismissed their second round opponents and now the big man and the two-time Wimbledon champion are set to square off in the Round of 32. No.2 ranked Rafael is 8-4 head-to-head all time against Tsonga, winning 67% of the time, but while JW is ranked 72 he’s got a chip on his shoulder and could upset the Spaniard on Saturday. They haven’t faced off since 2015 so they will need to rely on some muscle memory against one another. Going into the matchup, the sportsbook favors Nadal with -700 odds (opened at -600) to make it through to the next round while Tsonga is tagged at +450 (opened at (+400). Bettors and ‘books like the proven champ – do you?
Betting Preview for the Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs Rafael Nadal Wimbledon Men’s Singles 3rd Round Match on July 6 2019
Where: All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, July 6, 2019, 5:00 AM ET
Line: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga(+450) vs. Rafael Nadal (-700)
TV Broadcast: ESPN, NBC Sports, TSN, Tennis Channel
Betting on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (+450)
34 year old Tsonga is looking to wind down his career with a much better rank than 72, and where better to make that happen than at Wimbledon, where he made the semifinals twice (2011 an 2012) and more recently made it as far as the quarterfinals in 2016. While Nadal holds the all-time edge over Tsonga, the Switzerland native drew last blood, but again that was back in 2015 at the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai (outdoor hardcourt).
Tsonga is looking strong coming into the 3rd round, after defeating Ricardas Berankis in three sets. On the match, Tsonga had 14 aces and went 4/7 on break points with just 2 double faults. He had a first serve percentage of 60, and boasted an 87% win on the first serve, followed by 65% on the second serve. After a tough first set (7-6) Tsonga cruised through the remaining two against Berankis, taking each 6-3. He’s coming in a bit more rested and with a little more momentum than his Round of 32 opponent.
Betting on Rafael Nadal (-700)
33 year old Nadal is coming off of a much harder second round meeting. He faced bitter rival Nick Kyrgios in a match that entertained but most certainly strained the two-time Wimbledon champ. This makes Tsonga very happy.
Nadal took the first set 6-3, but then Kyrgios struck back with a vengeance and flipped the script with a 6-3 second set win of his own. From there, a battle ensued with Nadal squeaking out the final two sets 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3). Kyrgios took it to the Spaniard, with Nadal getting just 11 aces compared to his 29. Kyrgios prodded the Nadal throughout the match, and after one particular Nadal serve, short return, and net approach Kyrgios slapped a forehand straight at Nadal and stared him down. This didn’t rattle the world No.2 much though, as in the end Nadal took his 82% win on the first serve and 75% on the second serve, to win the affair. Nadal made it through yet another enthralling match, but will it have drained his tank against a less-taxed Tsonga on Saturday?
Writer’s Prediction
Late-round and level headed experience prevails as Nadal fights off another opponent, defeating Tsonga in four sets.
