Agatha's Top Picks

Nikoloz Basilashvili has won three matches in a row, all at the Almaty Open, and he beat Marin Cilic 6-2, 7-5 in Round 1 on Oct 19. Over their last ten matches Basilashvili went 8-2 and Facundo Diaz Acosta went 4-6. Acosta also lost to Nuno Borges 7-6, 6-2 in Round 1 of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Oct 8. Agatha gives Basilashvili about a 6-in-10 chance to win and predicts straight sets. The risk is Basilashvili retired against Adrian Mannarino in Round 1 of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Oct 7.

Francisco Cerundolo is 14-10 on hard courts this year. He beat Jakub Mensik 6-3, 6-3 in Round 2 of the China Open on Oct 3, and Botic van de Zandschulp 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in Round 1 of the China Open on Oct 1. He is ranked No. 21. Agatha gives Cerundolo about a 7-in-10 chance to win and predicts straight sets. The risk is Martin Damm beat Yannick Hanfmann 7-5, 6-3 in Round 1 of the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open on Oct 19.

Griekspoor got through his opener at this event, beating Max Schoenhaus 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 in Round 1 of the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open on Oct 20. He is 11-10 on hard courts this year, while Mariano Navone is 7-11 on hard courts. Navone also lost to Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in Round 1 of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Oct 8. Agatha gives Griekspoor close to a 6-in-10 chance to win and predicts straight sets. The risk is Navone's 7-6, 6-2 win over Juan Manuel Cerundolo in Round 1 of the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open on Oct 20.

Martin Landaluce has lost five matches in a row, the latest at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. He lost to Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4 in Round 1 of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Oct 8, and he is 6-7 on hard courts this year. Stan Wawrinka is 5-5 on hard courts this year. Agatha predicts straight sets and gives Wawrinka close to a 6-in-10 chance to win. The risk is Wawrinka has lost six matches in a row, the latest at the US Open, and last played on Aug 31.

David Goffin's career-high ranking is No. 7, and he has won 6 titles on the tour. Remy Bertola lost to Federico Cina 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in the final qualifying round of the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open on Oct 18, and lost to Harry Wendelken 5-7, 7-6, 6-4 in the second qualifying round of the US Open on Aug 26. Agatha predicts straight sets and gives Goffin close to a 6-in-10 chance to win. The risk is Goffin is 1-4 over his last 5 matches and last played on Jun 22.

Cincinnati has scored more goals per match than D.C. United over their last ten matches, 1.4 to 1.0. Cincinnati beat Atlanta United FC 3-1 on Oct 10, and Kevin Denkey has 17 goals and 5 assists in 27 appearances this season. D.C. United lost 4-1 to Orlando City SC on Oct 17, and the game is at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati's home ground. Agatha's prediction is a 4-1 Cincinnati win, about a 6-in-10 chance. The risk is Cincinnati has lost two matches in a row, including 2-0 to Columbus Crew on Oct 18.

The Hornets own the latest meeting with the Nets, a 117-86 win on Mar 31, 2026. Brandon Miller gives them 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game over 65 games last season. They also allowed fewer points a game than the Nets last season, 111.2 to 115.9. Agatha's prediction is a 113-112 Hornets win, a little better than a coin flip. The risk is Coby White is out for the Hornets with a leg injury, and Kon Knueppel is out too.

The Senators won the latest meeting, 5-1 at home on Apr 9, 2026, and they allowed fewer goals per game than the Panthers this season, 2.6 to 2.8. Tim Stutzle had 34 goals, 49 assists and 83 points in 80 games last season. Linus Ullmark posted a .891 save percentage over 49 starts. Agatha has the Senators winning 4-2, a little better than a coin flip. The risk is the Panthers have won three games in a row and score 3.3 goals a game this season to the Senators 2.7.

The Dream won the latest meeting, 79-65 on the road in a playoff game on Oct 19, 2026, and Game 3 of the WNBA Finals is tied 1-1. The Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 at home on Oct 7 and went 4-1 over the last 5 games. Agatha has the Dream winning, about a 2-in-3 chance. The risk is the Valkyries beat the Dream 68-64 at home on Oct 17 and have gone 4-1 over the last 5 games.

Defense is the reason here: the Memphis Grizzlies allowed 120.7 points a game last season, the Jazz 126.0. Ty Jerome put up 19.7 points a game in 15 games for the Grizzlies, and Zach Edey had 11.1 rebounds a game in 11 games. The game is at FedExForum, and the Jazz are without center Jusuf Nurkic, listed Out with a leg injury. Agatha predicts a 120-117 Grizzlies win, close to a 6-in-10 chance. The risk is the Jazz won the latest meeting, 147-101, on Apr 10, 2026.

Los Angeles Lakers have won four of the six meetings since Feb 6, 2025, including the latest, 119-103 on Apr 9, 2026. The Warriors are shorthanded, with Kristaps Porzingis listed as Out and Jimmy Butler III listed as Out with a leg injury. Luka Doncic had 33.5 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 8.3 assists per game in 64 games for the Lakers last season. Agatha's prediction is a 118-108 Lakers win, about a 5-in-6 chance. The risk is Stephen Curry, who had 26.6 points per game and 4.7 assists per game in 43 games for the Warriors last season.

The Portland Trail Blazers won the latest meeting, 114-110 in a play-in game on Apr 14, 2026, and they scored more points per game than the Suns last season, 115.5 to 112.6. Deni Avdija had 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game in 66 games for the Trail Blazers last season, and Suns guard Luke Kennard is listed as out with a leg injury. Agatha's prediction is a 114-111 Trail Blazers win, close to a 6-in-10 chance. The risk is the Suns allowed fewer points per game than the Trail Blazers last season, 111.1 to 115.8.

The Clippers won five of the six meetings since Mar 9, 2025, and the latest meeting went 138-109 on Apr 5, 2026. They allowed 112.6 points a game last season while the Kings allowed 121.0. Darius Garland put up 19.9 points and 6.4 assists a game in 19 games for the Clippers, and the Kings are without Malik Monk, listed as Out with a leg injury. Agatha's prediction is a 120-110 Clippers win, about a 4-in-5 chance. The risk is that Jordan Miller is listed as Out for the Clippers with an arm injury.

Li's form is the deciding factor. She is 7-3 over the last 10 matches and is coming off a 5-7, 6-0, 6-3 win over Emerson Jones in Round 1 of the Japan Open on Oct 19. She also beat Aryna Sabalenka 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 in Round 2 of the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open on Oct 14. Agatha predicts straight sets and gives Li close to a 6-in-10 chance to win. The risk is Sonmez won all three meetings since Nov 3, 2024 on the main tour, the latest 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 on Jun 29, 2026.

Antonia Ruzic beat Paula Badosa 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Round 1 of the Japan Open on Oct 20. She also beat Anna Siskova 7-5, 6-3 in Round 1 of the RoveretOpen Citta della Pace on Oct 13. Ruzic is ranked No. 91 and Kayla Day No. 119, and Day lost to Liudmila Samsonova 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 in Round 2 of the Guadalajara Open presentado por Santander on Sep 16. Agatha gives Ruzic close to a 6-in-10 chance to win and predicts straight sets. The risk is Day's 6-3, 6-2 win over Sofia Kenin in Round 1 of the Japan Open on Oct 20.

The Japan Open run is the thing to follow. Mary Stoiana has won three matches in a row, all at the Japan Open, and she beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-2, 6-3 in Round 1 on Oct 20. Over their last ten matches she went 7-3 while Moyuka Uchijima went 4-6. Agatha gives Stoiana about a 6-in-10 chance to win and predicts straight sets. The risk is Uchijima won her Round 1 match at the Japan Open, beating Ena Shibahara 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 on Oct 20.

The meetings are Siniakova's: she won both since Oct 15, 2024 on the main tour, the latest 6-4, 6-3 over Magda Linette in Round 1 of the China Open on Oct 1, 2026. Linette is 2-8 over her last ten matches and lost to Sinja Kraus 7-6, 6-2 in the first qualifying round of the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open on Oct 10. Agatha gives Siniakova close to a 6-in-10 chance to win and predicts straight sets. The risk is Siniakova lost to Liudmila Samsonova 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 in Round 1 of the Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open on Oct 12.

Terence Atmane beat Rinky Hijikata 7-6, 6-2 in Round 1 of the Almaty Open on Oct 20. Mattia Bellucci is 6-12 on hard courts this year and comes in off a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 loss to Zhou Yi in Round 1 of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Oct 7. Bellucci also lost to Kamil Majchrzak 6-3, 6-4 in Round 1 of the AITO Hangzhou Open on Sep 24. Agatha has Atmane winning, a little better than a coin flip, and predicts straight sets. The risk is Bellucci beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 in Round 1 of the Almaty Open on Oct 21.