Max Hopp can make home advantage count again

ITV4, 7pm Saturday

Max Hopp beat James Wilson on the way to victory in Ireland last month and with a partisan Dortmund crowd on his side he can repeat that feat in round two of the European Championship.

Hopp made home advantage count in round one on Friday with a clinical 6-1 dismantling of William O’Connor, who was booed and jeered every time he went to the board. It was a fiery contest and the German held his nerve the better.

It’ll be a different game against the lugubrious Wilson, a man whose demeanour rarely changes, but Hopp knows he can beat him. He only needs to cast his mind back a few weeks to when they met in a Players Championship semi-final on the eve of the Grand Prix. Hopp won that match 6-3 and a few hours later was celebrating his second title of 2018.

Wilson was excellent on Friday beating Jonny Clayton 6-2 but the longer format – it’s now best of 19 – means more time for the Yorkshireman to start missing doubles, especially under scrutiny from the crowd. Clayton didn’t test him but Hopp will.

Recommendation
M Hopp
1pt 11-10 BoyleSports

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