Sebastian Ofner vs Kei Nishikori Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Miami

Prediction published on 20/03/2024, 04:02  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 21/03/2024 at 06:05 in ATP Miami Prediction

Former world number four Kei Nishikori has been given a wild card into the Miami Open first round. He takes on unseeded Sebastian Ofner with the winner up against 20th seed Franciscso Cerundolo in round two of this outdoor hard court tournament. Nishikori is ranked 351st in the latest ist and this is his first tournament of the year. He hasn't played since last July 2023 when getting to the quarter finals of an ATP Tour event held in Atlanta. Injuries have blighted his career and that tournament was his first since 2021. His comeback didn't last long though and a knee injury has kept him off court since then. 

He takes on Sebastian Ofner and it's the first match between the pair. Ofner is at 40th in the latest rankings list and that's just three places below his career high that was achieved in January of this year. This is his first time in the Miami Open which is a Masters 1000 tournament, so lots of ranking points on offer. The Austrian has only once made it into the second round of a Masters tournament but this looks a good opportunity to equal that record. Ofner is not in good form though and has lost his last three matches. Two of those defeats have come against players who are seeded in this tournament, including Alex de Minaur who is in the top ten. He'll be looking to regain the form that saw him reach the semi-finals in Hong Kong at the start of the year. We tip Ofner to get the win here.