Game, Set, Bet, presented by BetMGM: What to know before betting on the Mexican Open in Acapulco

The 2024 tennis season rolls on with action in Acapulco and Austin this week. Both tournaments feature loaded fields, but we’ll be focusing on the Mexican Open (Abierto Mexicano Telcel) here. Four Top 10 players are in the draw for this ATP 500 event, as Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur are all set to compete. Zverev won this event back in 2021, when he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in a tight two-set match. However, quite a few players will feel like they have what it takes to lift this trophy.

Last Five Mexican Open Champions

• 2019: Nick Kyrgios
• 2020: Rafael Nadal
• 2021: Alexander Zverev
• 2022: Rafael Nadal
• 2023: Alex de Minaur

Mexican Open Betting Favorites

• Alexander Zverev (+450)
• Taylor Fritz (+650)
• Alex de Minaur (+700)
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (+700)
• Holger Rune (+800)

Click here for the rest of the BetMGM tournament odds!

Mexican Open Court Conditions

This was once a clay-court tournament, but they switched to hard courts in 2014. This is a solflex surface that ranks as a Category 1 when it comes to speed. So, this is as gritty of a hard-court tournament as there is. Not only does the court slow things down, but the heat and humidity also makes for a slower, stickier match. With that in mind, it’s best to treat this a little more like a clay-court tournament than a hard-court tournament when you’re handicapping each match. A big serve definitely helps here, as it’s possible to power through the conditions. But being competent from the baseline is imperative. It’s no coincidence that de Minaur won here last year. He’s a brick wall along the baseline and is capable of outlasting most players.

Mexican Open Players To Watch

Holger Rune: It’s hard not to be a little interested in what Rune will do over the next couple of weeks. The talented 20-year-old lost in the second round at Rotterdam two weeks ago, but he has since made the decision to bring Patrick Mouratoglou back to his team. Mouratoglou will now be the main voice in the box, with Boris Becker and Severin Luthi both out. Mouratoglou has had his name dragged down by some controversy over the years, but he’s undoubtedly a guy that gets great results out of his players. Rune has all the game in the world, so this partnership should be a fruitful one. And it wouldn’t be surprising if it happens sooner rather than later.

Rune is a good match for slower hard courts, as he’s a player that is very good on clay. He also has a favorable draw, with Frances Tiafoe being the best player in his portion of the bracket.

Casper Ruud: Ruud wasn’t able to beat Jordan Thompson in the final in Los Cabos, but he proved himself to be a dangerous player on slower hard courts. Ruud’s ability to hit with tremendous depth and loads of topspin makes him a tricky opponent in a slower match. And the conditions in Acapulco should be pretty similar to the ones we just saw in Cabo. Ruud also has an interesting draw in this event, as he’ll face Christopher Eubanks in Round 1. The slow courts should allow him to handle Eubanks’ serve rather easily, and he can then pick the American apart from the baseline.

If Ruud makes the quarterfinals, he’ll likely face Taylor Fritz. That’s another match that should favor Ruud because of the conditions. But overall, Ruud put the rest of the field on notice with his play in Mexico last week. And he’s a player to keep an eye on here—and at Indian Wells—because of it.

Jack Draper: Draper suffered a disappointing opening-round loss against Thanasi Kokkinakis in Los Cabos, but the Brit is an interesting long shot here. Draper’s first-round opponent is Tommy Paul, a player he has proven he can defeat in the past. If Draper does get by the American, the second-round matchup should be favorable no matter what. Then, he’d likely be looking at a match against Alexander Zverev for a spot in the semifinals after that. Zverev is probably the best player in the field this week, but it’s not outrageous to think that Draper can beat him. He has a massive serve and the power to hit with Zverev from the baseline. That said, a lengthy run isn’t out of the question for Draper here.