- Gael Monfils faces Novak Djokovic on Friday, Feb. 28th
- Monfils hasn’t had much success in the past but he’s on a roll right now
- Take a look below to see who we like to walk away with the win
With familiar foes standing across the net from each other at the Dubai Tennis Open Championships, it comes to the surprise of no one that Novak Djokovic is a significant favorite over Gael Monfils in the semifinals on Friday, Feb 28th (10:00 AM ET).
Djokovic is the number-one ranked player in the world and, to make matters worse for Monfils, has looked as good as he ever has this week.
Novak Djokovic vs Gael Monfils Odds
| Player | Spread | Moneyline Odds at Bovada | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | -5 (+105) | -800 | O 20.5 (-110) |
| Gael Monfils | +5 (-135) | +550 | U 20.5 (-1120) |
Odds taken Feb. 27th.
Can Anyone Beat Novak Djokovic?
Every tennis player on tour would be a sizable underdog to Djokovic on hard courts right now. Monfils is in ridiculous form, but is also 0-16 lifetime against Nole.
As great as Djokovic has been in his career, it’s scary to think that he might be getting even better. The 17-time grand slam champ hasn’t lost a single match in 2020. He also hasn’t dropped a set at the Dubai Tennis Championships either.
Good really!!!@DDFTennis #Djokovic #missing #federer @DubaiDutyFree pic.twitter.com/WUVDwrqhif
— Vihari (@bharathvihari) February 24, 2020
His first two matches against Malek Jaziri and Philipp Kohlschreiber were both over in just one hour and one minute.
His opponent in the following round, Karen Khachanov, didn’t have much luck either as he too was dominated and routed in straight sets.
Djokovic is almost impossible to bet against, but Gael Monfils has been dominant in his own right.
Gael Monfils Has A New Approach
For years, Gael Monfils has been mentioned as one of the best tennis players on earth. Yet, something was always missing from his game: consistency. He’s gotten far in just about every tournament and has captured several minor titles, but on the big stage, he has fallen short.
His unpredictable nature mixed with his brazen style of play has both helped and hurt him over the years. Now, he seems to have matured and has set new goals for himself, which include securing a top-five ranking.
“People just see my physical potential. But I play tennis, I’m not there to sprint. Where is the talent in my backhand? It’s not talent, it’s work.“ 💯#Monfils https://t.co/nl3NpaXAyj
— Zoe (@_zo_ma) February 27, 2020
Like his semifinal opponent, Monfils hasn’t dropped a set during his tournament run either. First-round opponent Marton Fucsovics gave Monfils a bit of a test, breaking the Frenchman twice. Still, that wasn’t enough, as he was dispatched in straight sets.
Monfils looked incredibly impressive against Yasutaka Uchiyama and Richard Gasquet, getting rid of both men in straight sets as well. The third-seeded Monfils combined to break his last two opponents nine times.
The problem with Monfils is that his run is being ignored because of what Djokovic has been able to accomplish. Regardless of his opponent’s record against him, it seems as though Monfils will be prepared to give him a competitive match.
How They Matchup
Throughout the long history of tennis, there are few head-to-heads more lopsided than this one.
Monfils has never beaten Djokovic in his entire career, going 0-16, as mentioned above. That’s not to say that it hasn’t been competitive, but Monfils just hasn’t been able to get over the hump.
Djokovic vs Monfils Stats
| 1 | Rankings | 9 |
| 16-0 | Overall Season Record | 16-2 |
| 16-0 | Head-to-Head Record | 0-16 |
| 1 | Titles This Year | 2 |
Can we expect something different this time? Maybe.
Monfils seems to have turned a corner in his career and, at the very least, he could make this very competitive. That said, Novak is still the pick.
Final Pick: Novak Djokovic
You really have to tip your cap to Monfils. He’s been a perennial top-10 player for years now and gives everyone trouble.
But the numbers simply don’t lie here. Monfils is one of the best players in the world. But he’s up against possibly the best ever.
Bank on Djokovic pushing his career record against Monfils to 17-0.
Hans Themistode has worked in sports journalism since attending Queens College, and has worked for several newspapers including the BX Times and Canarsie Courier, as well as writing for publications such as Fansided and The Clever. His work has also been featured on Bleacher Report.
source https://casinonewsblogger.com/djokovic-vs-monfils-odds-pick-dubai-tennis-championships-semifinals/
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