Brisbane Challenger Prediction: Tung-Lin Wu vs Hayato Matsuoka
12:00 AM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Tung-Lin Wu -208 / Hayato Matsuoka +150
Tung-Lin Wu will face Hayato Matsuoka in the semifinal of the Brisbane 4 Challenger on Saturday, November 15. Here’s our Tung-Lin Wu vs Hayato Matsuoka prediction. This preview will also include a Tung-Lin Wu vs Hayato Matsuoka pick.
Tung-Lin Wu vs Hayato Matsuoka Preview
Tung-Lin Wu reached his first semifinal of the season at the Brisbane 4 Challenger after seeing off Denmark’s Carl Emil Overbeck in straight sets. The match took 19 games to decide and Wu prevailed 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 19 minutes. Wu was the only player to break in the first set, doing so in the eighth game and needed five set points to bag the set in the ninth game.
In the second set, Wu broke Overbeck in the fifth game and held for the remainder of the set to round off a straight sets win. He finished the match with three aces and did not hit a single double fault. Wu landed 77% of first serves in play and won 80% of first serve points (35/44). He won 54% of second serve points (7/13) and did not face a break point in the match. Wu has dropped just one set in his run to the semifinal this week and that was in the last 16 against Cruz Hewitt.
For Hayato Matsuoka, it will be his first ATP Challenger semifinal of his young career. The 20-year-old Japanese is coming off a straight-sets win over Jake Delaney in a match that took 20 games to decide in an hour and 34 minutes. Matsuoka hit 6 aces and 2 double faults in the victory. He landed 68% of first serves in play and won 69% of first serve points (27/39). Matsuoka won 67% of second serve points (12/18) and saved three of four break points.
Like Wu, Matsuoka came through qualifying at the Brisbane 4 Challenger. And perhaps his most impressive win was in the first round when he defeated former Top 100 player Rinky Hijikata in straight sets. Matsuoka has won all 10 sets he has played in this tournament.
Tung-Lin Wu vs Hayato Matsuoka Head-To-Head
This will be the first-ever meeting between these two players.
Tung-Lin Wu vs Hayato Matsuoka Prediction
Tung-Lin Wu is the experienced player in this matchup, having been a Top 200 player as recently as two years ago. But he’s dealt with a few injuries this season, and his ranking tanked to a lowly 518th. Both players will rise once the rankings are updated after decent showings in Brisbane, but it is 20-year-old Matsuoka’s tennis that has been eye-catching in this tournament, and given the plus money on offer, we are riding with the underdog.