The No. 2 player in the world, Jannik Sinner, takes on the No. 16 player in the world, Jakub Mensik, in the Qatar Open quarterfinals on Thursday.
Sinner is a -1960 favorite to advance to the semifinals, while Mensik is +1260 to pull off the upset. This is my best bet to target on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Sinner vs. Mensik match.
Jannik Sinner vs. Jakub Mensik Preview
Jannik Sinner is looking to bounce back from his Australian Open loss to Novak Djokovic with his first title of the season in Doha. Sinner might have to face Carlos Alcaraz in the final, but before getting there, he has a tough test against Jakub Mensik. Sinner is deservedly a huge favorite in this match, however. He has been a dominant force in the sport, alongside Alcaraz, for the last couple of years. Sinner has looked poised through two matches in Qatar, winning both in straight sets. If Sinner is at his best, he should cruise to the final in this tournament. However, focus could be an issue for Sinner in a match where he is such a massive favorite.
Jakub Mensik is a young star on the rise. At just 20 years old, he has risen to be the No. 16 player in the world. Mensik performed great at the Australian Open, making it to the fourth round before having to retire due to injury. He was slated to face the great Novak Djokovic, and a win there would have put him on a path to potentially face Sinner in the semifinals. Mensik has proven he can win big matches against top players. He defeated Djokovic to win his first ATP 1000 tournament in Miami last year. Mensik also made his first career ATP Tour Final here in Doha at the 2024 Qatar Open, so he should feel confident at this venue.
Jannik Sinner vs. Jakub Mensik Pick, Best Bet
My best bet for this match is for Jannik Sinner to win by a score of two sets to one. At +390, there is a lot of value on this bet. Mensik has never faced Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner in his career. So, there is no benchmark for how he would fare against the two best players in the world. However, at last year’s Miami Open, he defeated Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz en route to his first career ATP 1000 title. In his other career match against Djokovic, he pushed the match to three sets.
Mensik is fearless, has a big serve and can hit with Sinner. He doesn’t have the experience or consistency, but he won’t shy away from the challenge. Mensik could take Sinner by surprise and steal a set in this one. However, if it goes to a third set, it’s hard to imagine Jannik Sinner doesn’t lock in and get the win. That is what makes this exact set score bet so tempting. I’ll back Mensik to challenge the World No. 2, but ultimately come up just short.
