Guido Pella vs Roberto Bautista-Agut: Wimbledon Preview

With all of the big three in action tonight it's easy to ignore or even shun the only match featuring two players outside the top 10. Of course anyone who follows tennis a little more closely will be fascinated by the spectacle that is Guido Pella right now. A man born to play on clay who has hussled his way through to the Quarter Finals of Wimbledon scoring perhaps the biggest win of his career when taking down Milos Raonic in the last match over five sets.

[Src - Guido Pella - Getty Images]{https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/guido-pella?family=editorial&phrase=guido%20pella)

Many a tennis fan have put this down to the supposed slower surface that grass represents this year at Wimbledon but I am not one of those guys that reads so much into surface changes alone, that a little change here or there would make such a big impact on a persons game is debatable. Afterall Federer has been flying high on said slower surface regardless and putting Pella's run so far down to slight reduction in speed on grass rather than his own ability is a bit insulting. Especially considering that on clay earlier this year (in particular in Cordoba, Sao Paulo, Monte Carlo and Barcelona) that is where his form truly began, I see his grass court slam run as a mere continuation of some excellent form shown in patches on clay.

Today he will be up against the odds once more as he faces one of the most accurate shot hitters from the back of the court - Bautista-Agut. Pella is 4.50 to win today so for me he represents excellent outside odds for a flutter. Though Pella's shot making may not be up to the standard of Bautista-Agut he is nonetheless a great rallier from the back capable of testing the patience of the Spaniard. Bautista-Agut will be a totally different opponent to Raonic though, he is built more in the form of Pella himself, a patient and versatile base liner.

Pella has defeated two players of similar calibre and skill to Bautista-Agut this year. Namely Diego Schwartzman and Karen Khachanov. In Munich this year he actually faced the Spaniard where having taken the first set, came close in the second conceding it 4-6 before capitulating in the third and losing that 0-6.

Here at Wimbledon I feel Pella has gone beyond that defeat in Munich having outlasted a surging Raonic over five sets. Though I do concede there are question marks over both big opponents he has knocked out at Wimbledon (Anderson being the other). Anderson and Raonic have struggled somewhat this year due to various injuries so perhaps Bautista-Agut will be his sternest test yet having suffered no such bad luck this year and showing even better form than Pella himself. This makes Pella's 4.5 odds to win more explainable.

Still Pella has plenty of opportunity to dig deep in this match given it's best of 5 rather than 3 sets and won't have to panic even if he concedes an early set. What maybe troubling is the fact his opponent is yet to concede a set himself at Wimbledon. A player clearly in fine form Bautista-Agut brushed aside Karen Khachanov earlier in the tournament before disposing of the eratic Benoire Paire in the last round. Pella is worth a punt at 4.5 using a 1% stake of your money.