Zhizhen Zhang vs Yunchaokete Bu Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Hangzhou Open

Prediction published on 22/09/2024, 14:23  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 22/09/2024 at 14:25 in Tennis Predictions

Sixth seed Zhang Zhizhen will meet wildcard Bu Yunchaokete in the semi-final of the 2024 inaugural Hangzhou Open. This will mark their first career meeting and we have a prediction of this match. Zhizhen has never progressed to a tour final in his career. He lost twice in the semi-finals, the most recent being in Halle during the grass campaign. To get back to the last four of a tour tournament, Zhizhen defeated Robert Carballes Baena in straight sets. Zhizhen is a strong hard-court player and has won over 150 matches on the surface in his career. This year, however, he has lacked consistency, losing nine of 17 matches on that particular surface. Defeating Baena has improved his record to 23-22 and bumped him five places up, to 43rd in the live ranking.

Bu Yunchaokete is also seeking to make it through to his first career tour final. Before arriving in Hangzhou, he had only once won a main draw match at this level. He defeated Mikhail Kukushkin in straight sets in the last round, registering his second 2-0 victory in the tournament. The only match in which he required a decider to progress also happens to be the biggest win of his career. This was the second-round battle with second seed Karen Khachanov, who at the time was ranked more than 100 places above him. A winner of two challenger titles on hard courts this year, Yunchaokete has immensely improved his world ranking this week. He has moved up to 96th in the live ranking which is the first time he has broken into the ATP top 100. The winner here will play Brandon Nakashima or Marin Cilic in the final.