Washington Citi Open predictions, odds and tennis betting tips: Tiafoe can make his mark

Where to watch Washington Citi Open

Amazon Prime from 3pm Monday

Best bet

Frances Tiafoe to win Washington Citi Open
1pt 9-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Linda Noskova to win WTA Prague
1pt 5-1 bet365

ATP & WTA tournament previews

This week marks the return of the only combined ATP-WTA 500 event in the world as the Washington Citi Open is staged in the US capital.

Attracting some of the best men's and women's players on tour, the dual event should give punters good insight before the US Open in around a month's time and in the men's tournament, Taylor Fritz is the man to beat.

Fresh from playing in the Atlanta Open final on Sunday, Fritz is both outright favourite and top seed in Washington DC but it has been a pretty inconsistent campaign from the American, who must contend with a tricky draw.

Despite being top seed, Fritz could face Andy Murray in the tournament's third round with Hubert Hurkacz and Alexander Bublik among others also in his half of the draw.

Instead, Fritz's compatriot Frances Tiafoe looks the man to back.

Tiafoe is in the softer-looking bottom half of the draw and is entering the stage of the season in which he typically thrives.

The 25-year-old reached the semi-final of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career on the US Open hard courts last year and took Carlos Alcaraz, who went on to lift the trophy, to five sets.

He also made the last eight at the Washington Citi Open last year, taking the lead against but losing to Nick Kyrgios, who won the event but is unavailable to defend his title this year.

Tiafoe is a danger on the faster surface and could go deep in Washington DC.

The WTA Washington, meanwhile, is headlined by Wimbledon quarter-finalist Jessica Pegula, who is one of a number of Americans along with Coco Gauff and Madison Keys looking to make an impression on home soil.

But the women's tournament was wide open last year, when three of the four semi-finalists in Washington DC were unseeded.

The better women's bet this week could instead come in the WTA 250 event in Prague.

Marie Bouzkova takes top seeding but her compatriot Linda Noskova could also cause a stir.

The 18-year-old seems likely to thrive in front of a home crowd and has some valuable game time under her belt after a run to the quarter-finals of the Poland Open, in which she lost to juggernaut Iga Swiatek.

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