Alexei Popyrin could make hotpot De Minaur toil in all-Aussie clash

ATP & WTA Brisbane International
ATP: Eurosport 1, from 6am Tuesday
WTA: BT Sport 1, 9am Tuesday

Alex de Minaur has been advised as value for the ATP Brisbane International title this week, but the oddsmakers may have gone overboard in making Alexei Popyrin such an outsider in their all-Australian first-round clash.

De Minaur should still find a way to win, but Popyrin also possesses plenty of potential and it could be worth backing the outsider with a start of 4.5 games on the handicaps.

The favourite may do well to triumph by a winning margin of five games or more, especially given that the Australian duo could well put on a decent show for the audience at Pat Rafter Arena.

Grigor Dimitrov is a hot favourite to dismiss John Millman after the Bulgarian opened his season with a 6-3 6-4 win over Yoshihito Nishioka. Millman saw off Tennys Sandgren 7-6 6-7 6-0 and could pose problems for Dimitrov.

In the women’s second round in Brisbane, Donna Vekic could be a shade of value to oust Kiki Bertens after putting in a blinding performance to hammer Maggie Rybarikova 6-1 6-2.

Vekic often promises much but the Croat is still only 22 years old – she seems to have been around forever – and many still hold out hopes for her in the fast-court Grand Slams.

Bertens edged out Elise Mertens 6-2 6-7 6-4 and is likely to be tough to beat, so it may be wiser to back Vekic to win at least a set.

Recommendations
A Popyrin +4.5 games
1pt 4-6 BoyleSports
D Vekic to win at least a set
1pt 8-13 Betway

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