Rafael Nadal v Nikoloz Basilashvili Winner Odds & Predictions

Nadal with easier fourth round test ahead

Tennis Betting

Rafael Nadal v Nikoloz Basilashvili Preview – September 2nd, 2018

Rafa Nadal has continued his march through Flushing Meadows but he had to dig a bit deeper than he would have wanted to in his third round tussle with Karen Khachanov. The two of them battled it out for four hours and Nadal had come from behind after dropping the first set as well. It was just a tight battle all the way, but the 17-time Grand Slam champion Nadal is looking at an easier match in the fourth round.

Rafael Nadal v Nikoloz Basilashvili Winner Odds*

Rafael nadal 1/25
Nikoloz Basilashvili 12/1
* (betting odds taken on September 1st, 2018 at 11:45 pm)

After easing through the opening two rounds of the tournament, Nadal faced a tough challenge against Russia’s Khachanov on Saturday. Nadal dropped the first set and then clawed his way back to the win with tie-break set wins in the third and fourth. He had to dig deep on an exhausting day of tennis, but that challenge will have steeled him as most players are aware that at some point of a tournament there will be a real test of their resolve.

Next up for Nadal is Georgia’s Basilashvili and this will be just the second meeting between the two players. Their only prior clash came at Roland Garros last year and you probably know what the result was. Nadal, the king of the French Open powered his way to a stunningly one-sided success, dropping just the one game in the match. Just one game. That was astonishing stuff and it makes the appeal on a Rafael Nadal -8.5 Games Handicap at 8/11 odds* (betting odds taken on September 1st, 2018 at 11:45 pm) well worth a look.

It makes the set betting option of 3-0 though such poor value in comparison at 4/11 odds* (betting odds taken on September 1st, 2018 at 11:45 pm) and this is expected to be that easy for the Spaniard. Basilashvili hasn’t had an easy passage through to the tournament. He took five sets against Aljaz Bedene in the first round, then four sets, winning on a tie-break in the end against Jack Sock in the second round. He completed his third round match against Guido Pella in exactly the same manner, four sets, getting the decider on a tie-break.

Prediction

We are likely going to see a show of dominance from Nadal. That match against Khachanov would have shaken him and it’s the kind of thing that drives him to better improve himself. He should come through this challenge pretty easily and we are sticking with that Nadal -8.5 Games Handicap at 8/11 odds* (betting odds taken on September 1st, 2018 at 11:45 pm).