US Open Qualifier
Paire, Benoit -185
Blancaneaux, Geoffrey +150
Today we have 2 French countrymen facing off on hard courts (not a surface that they grew up playing on regularly) and playing at a neutral site, on hard court's in New York City at the US Open qualies.
- Paire is 34 years old and ranked #125
- Blancaneaux is 25 years old and ranked #214
If these two were playing anywhere in France and playing on any type of surface, I would go with the young buck Blancaneaux………………however because they are playing in the Big Apple and trying desperately to get into the main draw to garner the big bucks I am going with the seasoned veteran who is playing in maybe his last US Open.
I fully expect the bearded Paire to have his collar turned up Frenchman style and play his usual way which is hit or miss with his flair for the dramatic.
Note* Paire has been known to tank or not be fully committed or engaged to playing on particular days. So, use caution if you were to follow or tail me.
I fully expect B. Paire at -185 to fight, hustle and grind today against an opponent he clearly knows he has enough still left in the tank to beat.
Note* The 2023 US Open prize money has topped $65 million for the first time, eclipsing the previous record breaking $60 million in 2022.
This year (2023) For example, first-round losers’ bag $81,500, 1.88% more than in 2022.
Losers in qualifying can look forward to slightly higher increases should they not make the main draw; Q1 losers will receive $21,000, up 5.50% compared to twelve months ago.
Okay, here’s the thing for me, G. Blancaneaux is 2-9 in his last 11 matches, all on the challenger circuit and he last played and lost on Aug. 8 to a player named M. Topo who is ranked #369 in the world.
Paire comes in at 10-3 in his last 13 matches, all played at the challenger level, and he won one tourney on clay in Italy and got to the semi-final in another one in Germany the next week. He last played on Aug. 10 losing in the 2 round in a tournament in Bosnia on clay.
Blancaneaux has not played in a hard-court tournament since March 21 at the Miami Qualies
Paire has not played in a hard-court tournament since March 29tth indoors at Lily France.
So, neither player has been anxious or excited to play on hard courts at all.
Anyway, I am rolling with Paire today……………I know it’s a lot of juice at -185 however the juice only comes into play if you lose.
All things considered I think Paire will get a closely fought tight win today because of his experience playing in Grand Slams, PLUS he knows he’s in the final stages of his career and picking up one more nice paycheck getting into the main draw at the US open is his objective.
Especially playing someone, he clearly can beat and the qualies is the best of 2 out of 3 sets not a potential 5 setter as it is in the main draw, so he has the stamina and the legs to play this match hard, intense and with passion.
GLTA
gluck
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