Bet of the day: Cilic beats Gulbis in three sets at Geneva Open
Published:
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | May 18, 2016
Coral’s bet of the day
- Clay courts not strong suit of Croatia’s third seed Cilic
- Two of three meetings on this surface have gone to a decider
- Almost 70 places separate players in ATP World Rankings
- Grand Slam winner Cilic’s quality should come through in the end
Cilic enters Geneva Open against thorny foe Gulbis
There is a lot to like about the terrific 3/1 price from Coral on former Grand Slam winner Marin Cilic winning his first match at the Geneva open against Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis in three sets.
One-time US Open champ Cilic, although seeded third at this event, certainly prefers the hard courts that top and tail the tennis season as opposed to clay, which this contest is on.
Couple that with two of the three meetings between the Croatian and Gulbis going to a deciding set on this surface in Switzerland, and already a 2-1 scoreline begins to appeal.
With their overall head-to-head reading two wins apiece, something has got to give in this match, but Cilic can still feel confident of victory – even if history suggests that will not be straightforward.
Gulbis has rankings gulf to overcome
Although he has slipped out of the top 10 of the ATP World Rankings, Cilic is still around 70 places higher than Gulbis. That is a huge gap to try and bridge in Geneva.
When taking sets off Cilic, Gulbis tends to win 6-3. Having troubled the Croatian’s big-serving compatriot Ivo Karlovic at the recent Rome Masters, the Latvian is certainly capable of doing likewise here.
Siding with Cilic, who did not win that Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows by accident, is rewarding for punters. He has qualities that Gulbis is yet to demonstrate in his career, and they should shine through in the end.
Related
View previous bets of the day in our comprehensive archive to see how our tipsters are getting on.
