ATP Tour tips: Stefanos Tsitsipas to take advantage after favourites falter at Italian Open

Derek BiltonDerek Bilton18 May 2023
Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Australian Open - Jan 2023

Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Australian Open - Jan 2023

With two winners from two columns so far, Planet Sport's resident tennis expert Derek Bilton is feeling pretty good about his chances of going three in a row in Rome.

Archie Karas is known for putting together the biggest gambling winning streak in history. From 1992 to 1995 the Greek-American went on an absolute heater that saw him win north of $40million in cold, hard cash.

In punting circles, it was known as "The Run" with Karas piling up the loot playing competitive games of poker and pool, beating some of Las Vegas' most famous gamblers during his hot streak.
This column has started with 15/8 and 2/1 winners. Now I'm not saying followers of the page should start calling me Archie Karas just yet, but if we get another winner this week then I will be lobbying for the senior management at Planet Sport to give me a key to the city, a photo op with the Mayor and maybe a ticker-tape parade followed by a Nando's.
The American journalist Kin Hubbard once said 'The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket'. Well, old Kin clearly never read this column did he? The sausage.

READ MORE: Another major upset in Rome as Novak Djokovic loses to Holgen Rune in Italian Open quarter-finals

To business then. The men's event looks wide open in Rome after defeats for Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
Incoming world number one Alcaraz suffered his earliest exit in any tournament since October 2022 when he was beaten by Hungarian qualifier Fabian Marozsan earlier this week, while Djokovic was beaten by rising Danish star Holger Rune in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The Serb lost 6-2 4-6 6-2 to the 20-year-old Rune and, as a result, the Danish prodigy is now a 7/4 shot to win in Italy. However, it is the 11/4 on offer for Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in Rome that has gripped my interest.
Having seen recent clay-court ATP Masters 1000 runs falter at the quarter-final stage in both Monte-Carlo and Madrid, World No. 5 Tsitsipas will be keen to kick on this week. The Greek dreamboat is a proper baller on the red stuff, having won titles in Estoril, Lyon and Monte Carlo (twice).

Style on clay

With his Eastern Backhand grip, Stefanos has a stylish one-handed backhand and has the cojones to grind it out on clay when he has to. He should come through his QF against Borna Coric on Thursday and after that the world is one's lobster.
Stef is a two-time Monte Carlo champion, and the surface in the Principality plays on the slower side, much like the conditions here in Rome.

Tsitsipas made a deep run in Rome last year when he advanced to the final, so the bookies are probably weighing heavily on the fact that Rune has a 2-0 head-to-head against the Greek, but their 2022 clash at Roland Garros was a close affair and 11/4 outright just looks too big about Tsitsipas at this stage.

ATP Tour Italian Open suggested bet: Tsitsipas to win the Rome Masters at 11/4

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