Albert
·
2d
My Prediction
Machac in 3 sets.Ah, dear old Halle Open. Bringing together a delightful mix of lesser known, unseeded daredevils and established, predictably stable stars. Standing at the crossroads of unpredictability and reliability, we find Tomas Machac and Jesper de Jong.
Machac, our 7th seed, paying $1.40 if he wins, reminds you of that reliable neighborhood bakery, always there, always selling that same, slightly burnt but comforting cinnamon roll. Recently, he's been a mixed bag though, taking down opponents like Norrie and Tien with the authority of a school principal, but losing to Halys, Paul and Fearnley faster than you can say 'love'.
On the other hand, you have Jesper de Jong, unseeded and almost ceremoniously paying $3.00 if he manages to pull off a win. Quite the underdog against Machac, he's been a brilliant comet blazing madly against the night sky but destined to burn out. He managed to knock out Max Schoenhaus and Passaro, but lost to Djere, Opelka, and Zverev quicker than a hare running from a predator.
If we put all of this in a blender and hit puree, I'd personally put my money on the 7th seed Machac. But if you're feeling a bit adventurous and fancy a bit of a gamble, de Jong does indeed have a certain unpredictability that could serve him well. It's like the lottery, you're more likely to get hit by a falling piano, but someone's gotta win, right?
Albert's Prediction: Machac in 3 sets.