ATP Washington picks: Ben Shelton vs. Gabriel Diallo odds, prediction
Thursday's showdown between Ben Shelton and Gabriel Diallo at the ATP Washington Open may not break into the mainstream, but tennis fanatics and bettors will consider it a can't-miss tilt.
Shelton and Diallo are two rising powers in the sport, and they both should be well-suited for the North American hard-court swing, which favors players who can overpower their opponents with their serve and groundstrokes.
Shelton, the World No. 8, is a -200 favorite over Diallo on Thursday.
ATP Washington: Shelton vs. Diallo odds, prediction
Diallo defeated Shelton in their only professional meeting, but that came back in 2022 on the Challenger circuit, so there's nothing you can really learn from that result.
Not only are the two big-serving stars much better players now, but they're also in terrific form.
Shelton is just a couple of weeks removed from a trip to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, where he lost to Jannik Sinner. Shelton had dropped just one set prior to his loss to the eventual champion.
Diallo was stopped in the second round of Wimbledon by No. 4 Taylor Fritz, but he took him to five sets, ending a terrific spell on the grass in 2025. The Montreal native won a title at the Libema Open as part of a 9-3 run on the lawn.
This is the first tournament for each player since Wimbledon, but both Shelton and Diallo looked terrific in straight-set wins in the Round of 32.
Ben Shelton in action at ATP Washington Open.
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Both of these players are unabashed about how they want matches to unfold. Shelton and Diallo boast two of the best serves on tour, and they'll want to win quick, cheap points when they're starting with the ball.
Given the stylistic matchup, it's no surprise that the Over/Under is set at 24.5 games, with juice on the over.
In all likelihood, this match will be decided by which player holds their nerve in tiebreaks, and that really narrows the margin for error for both players.
In this kind of matchup, I'd lean towards the underdog, especially a punchy one like Diallo.
The Play: Gabriel Diallo +160 (bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
20 minutes ago
- USA Today
Ben Shelton reaches first career Masters 1000 semifinals at National Bank Open
Ben Shelton reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal on Tuesday with a quarterfinal win over Alex de Minaur, 6-3, 6-4. After needing three sets to get his 100th ATP Tour win over Flavio Cobolli in the previous round, Shelton cruise to win No. 101. He found control of his serve once again and got the job done in 91 minutes. Shelton had 11 aces and eight forehand winners, while de Minaur dropped 28 unforced errors as his seven-game win streak crumbled. The irony here is that de Minaur is regarded as one of the better returners on the tour. If there's a game designed to slow down Shelton, it's de Minaur's, but not on Tuesday. Shelton won the break battle, 2-1. He'll face the only American ranked higher than him, World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, after the other semifinal between Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov, which is scheduled not before 7 p.m. ET. Ben Shelton's ATP Ranking Defeating de Minaur gives Shelton a firm grasp on the No. 7 spot in the ATP rankings. The live rankings have him at 3,720 points with a chance to add 250 more with a win over Fritz on Wednesday night. Winning the whole tournament would give him 4,320 in the next update, which is enough to pass legend Novak Djokovic for the No. 6 spot. Ahead of Djokovic are the top five of Jack Draper (4,650), Fritz (5,525), Alexander Zverev (6,380), Carlos Alcacarz (8,600) and Jannik Sinner (12,030). Those top three are pretty well out of reach, but it's time for Shelton to start plotting his ascent to the top five. Fritz and Zverev are both alive in this tournament; beating both would be a good step toward that accomplishment. After Toronto The Cincinnati Masters starts on Thursday, but Shelton doesn't have to play until the weekend thanks to a first-round bye. An extra day or two of rest between back-to-back 1,000-point Majors can make a huge difference. Shelton made it to the quarterfinals in Cincinnati a year ago, losing to Zverev in three sets. Shelton won't compete in the Winston-Salem 250, giving him at least a week off until the US Open starts. He's played his best tennis in Grand Slams this season, and Shelton will be a home-court favorite as one of the top Americans in the field. The US Open begins on Aug. 24 and finishes on Sept. 7. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber looming in National League MVP race as Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani struggle
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. A new contender is creeping into the 2025 National League MVP race. After sitting atop the odds board all season, Shohei Ohtani suddenly has some competition in Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, who has been red-hot of late. Ohtani is down to -400 to win the award at FanDuel Sportsbook – the lowest he's been in months – while Schwarber is lurking at +300. Schwarber has 15 home runs in his last 30 games, which is three more than any hitter in baseball in that span, catapulting him into the award race. Overall, this season, Schwarber has an NL-leading 40 long balls – two more than Ohtani – while hitting .256/.379/.585. Schwarber's dominant stretch – and the Mets' struggles – have helped boost the Phillies to the top of the NL East, holding on to a 2.5-game lead before Wednesday's slate. Meanwhile, Ohtani hasn't been his otherworldly self over that same 30-game stretch, hitting nine homers while slashing .233/.346/.491, which is a significant step down from his first half of the season. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani smiles after grounding out during the second inning at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. AP Ohtani has also made just two starts on the mound since the All-Star break after leaving his last start in late July with cramping, although he is scheduled to toss four innings against the Cardinals on Wednesday. Perhaps most importantly, the Dodgers haven't played well of late. Since July 1, they are just 13-16 and are hanging on to just a three-game lead in the NL West over the Padres despite coming into the season with some of the highest expectations for a team in recent history. Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting Last week, we pointed out Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong as a potential challenger to Ohtani for the NL MVP. But award races can change quickly, and oddsmakers have Schwarber as the one most likely to threaten Ohtani's chances at a fourth MVP in five seasons. Why Trust New York Post Betting Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He's particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Taylor Fritz vs. Ben Shelton best bets: ATP Toronto odds, picks, predictions
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The tennis calendar is relentless, and can make the sport feel like a bit of a chore at times, but there's nothing quite like it when it peaks. And it will do just that Wednesday night when the two best American players, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, meet in the semifinals of the Canadian Masters in Toronto. This is just the second career meeting between Fritz and Shelton, with the first occurring in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters tournament in March 2023. This match should have a much different feel from that contest, which Fritz won in three sets, as both players have taken massive strides in their respective careers. ATP Toronto: Fritz vs. Shelton odds, predictions Player Odds Taylor Fritz -175 Ben Shelton +137 Odds via bet365 It's no surprise that Fritz is the favorite Wednesday night, given his edge in experience and his higher ranking, but some signals point to this match being closer to a coin flip than even these odds imply. At the beginning of the season, you'd argue that Fritz was a good role model for Shelton in how he could advance his career. Like the latter, the former burst onto the scene thanks to a massive serve, but his all-around game needed to catch up to his best weapon. Eventually, the rest of Fritz's game got to a point where he wasn't too reliant on his serve, and he's shot up the rankings because of that. Taylor Fritz is the betting favorite against Ben Shelton for Wednesday's semifinal. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The Californian is ranked as the No. 4 player in the world (a career best), and has won 19 of his last 22 matches. It's been a banner 2025 campaign for Fritz, though he'd certainly like to add a second Masters title — and first since 2022 — to his mantle. Shelton's career has plenty of similarities to Fritz's, but he seems to be accomplishing things at a quicker pace. The former Florida Gator has established himself as a real threat at Grand Slams, and he's got a couple of titles already under his belt. The 22-year-old still can stand to be more consistent, but he's already solidified himself as a top-10 player, and a little more growth in his game could see him make a push for one of the top four seeds at Grand Slams in 2026. Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps With both players in terrific form and no real fitness concerns to worry about, Wednesday's match points to a slobberknocker. Given that both combatants have all-world serves, we'll likely see a tiebreak or two, and that means that this match will likely be decided by a mistake, a break, or a bounce. If that is the case, then the value is with the underdog, Shelton, to come out on top in a long one. The Play: Shelton to win 2-1 (+350, bet365) Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
