Casper Ruud v Alexander Bublik | ATP Basel preview, betting tips, predictions & odds

Jonathan Davies in ATP Tour 25 Oct 2023

Ruud plays Bublik in Basel (Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo)

Casper Ruud looks to maintain his impressive record against Alexander Bublik when they collide in the Swiss Indoors first round on Wednesday.

The second seed in Basel this week, Ruud has prevailed in five of the six previous meetings between the players on the ATP Tour.

That included a narrow 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(0) success in their most recent encounter in the last 32 in Rome earlier this year.

World number eight Ruud will be targeting another deep run this week in a season during which he has triumphed at Estoril, and reached the final of the French Open and at Bastad.

But he faces a player full of momentum in Bublik, who is fresh from landing his first title of the season in Halle last time out.

The world number 30, who also reached the semi-finals in Marseille earlier this year, did so in style as well, beating the likes of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev on the way to the title.

One of the more intriguing ties of the round, it will be interesting to see who prevails. While the head-to-head record certainly favours Ruud, the form book swings the contest in Bublik’s favour.

The winner will take on home favourite Dominik Stricker in the Last 16 on Thursday.

Play gets under way at around 3pm BST on Wednesday and will be contested over the best of three sets at St. Jakobshalle in Basel.

Ruud is far from at his blistering best at present, and while he boasts a dominant 5-1 head-to-head record, Bublik may sense an opportunity and looks well poised to claim at least one set on the handicap market.