Borna Coric enters Monday's ATP Toronto opener as the statistical favorite against Italian challenger Matteo Gigante, according to advanced prediction models. The Croatian tennis pro has been given a 58% chance of advancing to the second round of the Canadian Open when the pair face off at 10:30 AM ET on July 28.
Coric also holds a slight edge in first-set projections, with data suggesting he has a 56% probability of claiming the opening set against the less-experienced Gigante.
"The numbers favor Coric, but tennis matches aren't played on spreadsheets," tennis analysts noted when reviewing the match projections.
The round of 128 clash represents an important opportunity for both competitors as they look to make their mark in the North American hard court season. Coric, who has had his share of ups and downs on tour, will aim to capitalize on his favorable odds against the Italian opponent.
Interestingly, the match prediction comes from a model that simulated the outcome 10,000 times to generate its percentage-based forecast. Such data-driven approaches have become increasingly common in tennis analysis and betting markets.
Can Gigante overcome the odds and pull off an upset? The statistical underdogs have certainly had their moments in tennis this season, but the numbers suggest Coric should advance to the next round if form holds.
The match kicks off Monday's action at the ATP Canadian Open, with tennis fans eager to see if the predictions will match reality on court.
