Not many tennis players continue their careers after turning 30, but Jordan Thompson is doing just that.
The 30-year-old Australian has been a mainstay on the ATP Tour for many years, but for most of that time he has fluctuated between 50 and 100 in the world rankings.
Known as a tough competitor, Thompson never seemed to rise above that level. He had his moments of success, but he just couldn't deliver on the big stage.
That is so far.
Thompson is underdog against fellow Australian Alex de Minaur in Monday's US Open round of 16 match, but the former's current form and the latter's recent injury mean the match is expected to be much closer than the -380/+280 odds suggest.
Thompson is 22-10 on hard courts in 2024, recently reaching the final in Atlanta and adding wins over Jack Draper, Hubert Hurkacz and Taylor Fritz since June.
All of this has led to a career-high ranking for the Sydney native, currently 29th.
On the other hand, De Minaur is a bit of an unknown in this match and is at a disadvantage as a favorite to win.
De Minaur was the better player but missed most of the summer after suffering a back injury at Wimbledon.
He's answered questions at the U.S. Open before, but they weren't particularly difficult.
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Given Thompson's form, De Minaur's fitness, and the fact that this should be a tough match, it's hard to argue against betting on the underdog in this one.
Play: Jordan Thompson +280 (DraftKings)
