ATP European Open & WTA Japan Open predictions, odds and tennis betting tips: Lehecka can make his mark in Antwerp

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Live on Sky Sports+, Tennis & Main Event from 6am Monday

Best bet

Jiri Lehecka to win ATP European Open
1pt 8-1 Ladbrokes

Magdalena Frech to win WTA Japan Open
1pt 8-1 general

ATP European Open & WTA Japan Open preview

There have been eight different winners of the ATP European Open in Antwerp, Belgium since the inaugural event in 2016 and a ninth new name can be etched on the trophy in the 2024 edition.

Top seed Alex de Minaur, runner-up in 2020, is making his first appearance since his US Open quarter-final exit and there are enough doubts about his match sharpness to swerve him in this competition.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Felix Auger-Aliassime, the second and third seeds, haven't been in sparkling form of late and they are easily opposed in what feels like an open event.

Therefore, primed for glory in Belgium could be Czech Republic ace Jiri Lehecka, who recently reached the quarter-finals in Beijing before running into world number one Jannik Sinner.

Lehecka also reached the last-eight stage at Indian Wells in March, that effort coming a couple of months after his ATP Tour breakthrough at the Adelaide International, and the 22-year-old looks like a lively contender for glory.

The Japan Open is one of two WTA tournaments taking place this week and this looks like a great opportunity for Magdalena Frech to claim the spoils at the Utsubo Tennis Center in Osaka.

Polish star Frech won the Guadalajara Open last month, a WTA 500 event, and anything close to that form should make her hard to beat in this lower-tier 250 tournament.

Frech reached the Wuhan Open quarter-finals last time out, beating sixth seed Emma Navarro and ninth seed Beatriz Haddad Maia before falling to Aryna Sabalenka, and that form looks strong compared to the rest of the field in Japan.

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