Upcoming Match-ups

2020 ATP Cup Odds & Betting Preview: Spain Favored at +275 Odds

Hans Themistode

by Hans Themistode in Tennis

Updated Apr 8, 2020 · 9:55 AM PDT

Rafael and Spain are the betting favorites to start the 2020 tennis season at the ATP Cup. Photo by Brett Marlow (flickr)
  • Some of the very best are going to be on the scene at the 2020 ATP Cup
  • Spain has a seemingly unfair team but can anyone challenge them?
  • Check out who we believe will bring home the trophy this year

We won’t have to wait too much longer as the first event of the ATP tennis schedule is set to take place on January 2, 2020.

The 2020 ATP Cup will bring 24 teams to the table, represented by some of the best players in the world from 24 different parts of the globe.

This isn’t some small event that no one cares about, players such as Rafael Nadal, John Isner, Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas and a long list of other top names have all entered. This tournament won’t be a one-on-one sort of deal like often is the case in tennis. Instead, it’s more team-based.

The groups are pretty evenly matched but there is one team that has the clear edge over everyone else.

ATP Cup Odds

Team Odds
Spain +275
Russia +550
Serbia +600
Australia +700
Canada +800
France +800
Germany +800
Croatia +1400
Italy +1400
USA +1400
Great Britain +2000
Argentina +2500
Belgium +2800
Austria +4000
Chile +5000

Odds taken Dec. 31

Rafael Nadal Leads a Star-Studded Group

When you are putting a group of players together, there is always a pecking order. In this format, each team is compiled of three players. From there, things become very simple.

Whomever is the best is placed as the head of the snake while the second and third place players take their spots behind him. Normally, the third-best player is by no means a horrible one, but he isn’t exactly a world-beater either.

In the case of Team Spain however, you can easily make the argument that their third-best player is better than roughly half of this field’s first best. That isn’t hyperbole either.

Pablo Carreno-Busta is currently the 27th ranked player in the world, and this is after a somewhat down year in 2019. It was just two years ago where he climbed up to a career-best number 10 on the planet.

Ironically enough, the current 10th best player in the world is also on the team in Roberto Bautista Agut. Facing any of these players is a nightmare. When you throw in Rafael Nadal into the mix, you quickly realize that beating this team is going to be a daunting task.

Good Luck Returning Serve Against Team USA

John Isner, Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka are hands down the biggest first servers out of anyone else in this field. It isn’t just that they hit the ball at seemingly a million miles an hour, but they also have a really well-rounded game as well.

During the 2019 season, Isner was ranked number one in terms of first serve points that were won, while his teammate Reilly Opelka came in second. Taylor was no slouch in this department either as he finished in eighth.

So while a team like Spain might have better overall players, if everyone on team USA is firing on all cylinders, then they can give them a ridiculously hard time out there.

Team France Will Be the Most Fun Team to Watch

Whenever Gael Monfils steps on the court, you know a few things are going to happen. He’s going to give 100-percent, he’s also going to be difficult to beat and of course, he’s going to be super entertaining.

Monfils is absolutely in the conversation in terms of the most fun players to watch, but giving him a run for his money is his good friend and current teammate Benoit Paire.

The Frenchman might be a vagarious personality, but when he is locked and loaded he is as difficult to beat as anyone on the tour.

Although Gilles Simon might not have the flare for the dramatics like his teammates, his game is a solid all-around one.

When you combine all three players on the same team, not only will they be entertaining but also a tough out.

Best Bet

This is really loaded field here. From top to bottom, the best player on the court at all times should be 16-time grand slam champ Novak Djokovic. But with all due respect to the rest of his teammates, they just don’t have enough talent to make a deep run.

If you want to put your money on a team with a somewhat longshot at winning then you should certainly look at team USA. As previously mentioned, the firepower that they have is second to none. But even with the weapons that they have, don’t expect them to get the job done.

Instead, look at Spain to bring home the trophy here.

That just isn’t a fair team.

It won’t be easy at all, but if they don’t find a way to bring home the championship then that would be a shocker.

Pick: Spain (+275)

Author Image