In the semifinal of ATP 250 Metz, number 66 ranked Corentin Moutet of France faces off against number 57 ranked Cameron Norrie of the United Kingdom. Here is where the plot thickens: Moutet found his way through to the semis thanks to a walkover from the withdrawn Andrey Rublev- allowing him more rest and an air of luckiness in this tournament so far. Meanwhile, Norrie comes into this match riding a nice win against Zizou Bergs, prevailing in three sets. With the head-to-head score standing at 1-1, the last encounter saw Moutet pip Norrie to the finish line in a tight affair in 2022 at the Paris Masters. Both players are looking keen for this title, but their journey so far and tactical approaches highlight a few clear advantages and potential challenges.
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The hot-headed, unpredictable style of Corentin Moutet has certainly won over the French crowds, but he will aim to break down the more solid baseline game of Cameron Norrie with some court craft and resilience. Norrie's left-handed, consistent power off the back, along with a strong second serve, will make him a great threat indoors. Indoor hard courts in Metz traditionally favor the big, aggressive players who can keep their serve going consistently, but both have shown adaptability under pressure.
The latter was the hard-fought three-set in Paris in 2022, which Moutet won and hinted he could consider Norrie's lefties.
While both hold moderate records on hard courts, it could be Moutet's form in France and comfort with the Metz conditions that give him an edge with regard to familiarity.
Tactical Approach
Corentin Moutet: Known for being creative, Moutet's game is all about variability: frequent drop shots, well-placed serves, and net approaches. He will need to cash in on his consistency of serve, coming in at 75% on first serves, but the challenge is holding his own in long grueling rallies, where Norrie comes alive. Moutet saving 70% of the break-point situations shows how tight he is mentally, a telling factor when Norrie decides to push his serve. The game plan for winning would be to keep Norrie moving, breaking up the rhythm with variation of shots.
Cameron Norrie: A consistent left-handed delivery and consistent groundstrokes get Norrie's game from the baseline. With 75% success on first-serve points and 45% on second-serve returns, it is for sure a weapon which will be important in resisting the unpredictability of Moutet. He extends the rallies and then waits for backhand errors from his opponents. He will have to use his excellent statistics on second-serve return to transform any weakness in Moutet's serve into a weapon.
Expert Betting Tips
Norrie's consistency on serve, supported by endurance in rallies, gives him an edge over Moutet, whose unpredictability could work for or against him. With a powerful game on second-serve return, Norrie will exploit the vulnerabilities in Moutet's serve and keep the tempo under his control.
Both have been prone to playing three-set encounters of late, and given how even it is between these two, another tight match seems likely. The rest advantage for Moutet might afford him enough energy to take a set, but Norrie's tactical patience should see him through in the decider.
With the possibility of a three-set fight and current statistics of both players indicating longer rallies, this match should be stretched. Each has shown the ability to hold serve, and with Moutet's flair likely to force deuce games, this could result in a high game count.
- Over 22 Games @ 1.65 Odds
- Cameron Norrie Wins @ 1.87 Odds
- Cameron Norrie Wins 2-0 @ 1.90 Odds
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