Tennis Atlantic

2015 Fergana, Perugia, Poprad Tatry, Ilkley and Blois Challenger Previews & Predictions
Chris De Waard, Tennis Atlantic 

Fergana Challenger

 ATP Challenger Tour

Fergana, Uzbekistan

15-21 June 2015

Hardcourt, Plexipave

Prize Money: $50,000

 

Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)

1: Teymuraz Gabashvili (58)

2: Alexander Kudryavtsev (127)

3: Radu Albot (129)

4: Evgeny Donskoy (174)

5: Aldin Setkic (213)

6: Ti Chen (214)

7: Karen Khachanov (231)

8: Denys Molchanov (272)

 

The last direct acceptance is Temur Ismailov, ranked 501st.

Second round match-up to watch

 

(6) Ti Chen – Laurynas Grigelis

 

Grigelis used to be ranked in the top 200 two and a half years ago, but has since dropped. Here he has an excellent opportunity to give his ranking a boost, playing against a Chen who is in a massive slump, coming into this event on a seven-match losing streak. He broke it here in the first round, but that was against wild card Djurabeck Karimov, the world #889.

 

Top Half

Top seed Teymuraz Gabashvili is far and away the favorite in this half, but it will be interesting to see how certain players will perform against him. Karen Khachanov, for instance, the youngster who is projected to play him in the quarterfinal. In the semi-final Gabashvili will most likely face fourth seed Evgeny Donskoy or Grigelis, whom he should be able to survive as well.

Bottom Half

 I’m going with one of the unseeded players here, Franko Skugor. He has been out with injury for a long time, but has displayed some good form since returning and ha more potential than the other players in this draw. He is projected to play Radu Albot in the second round, who just comes off a clay final and will probably struggle with the switch to hardcourt and playing a lot of matches. In the semi-final he might face fifth seed Aldin Setkic or second seed Aleksandr Kudryavtsev, against both of whom I give Skugor a slight edge.

Predictions

Semis:

Gabashvili d. Donskoy

Skugor d. Kudryavtsev

 

Final:

Gabashvili d. Skugor

 

Blu-Express.com Tennis Cup

 

ATP Challenger Tour

Perugia, Italy

15-21 June 2015

Red Clay

Prize Money: €42,500

 

Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)

1: Pablo Carreno Busta (54)

2: Carlos Berlocq (110)

3: Marco Cecchinato (131)

4: Bjorn Fratangelo (144)

5: Roberto Carballes Baena (172)

6: Jose Hernandez-Fernandez (191)

7: Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (194)

8: Roberto Marcora (218)

 

The last direct acceptance is Marc Giner, ranked 320th.

 

Second round match-up to watch

 

Christian Garian – Matteo Viola

 

Viola has been having a disastrous season so far, only winning five matches until now. However, in the first round he beat second seed Carlos Berlocq, who pushed Richard Gasquet to five sets at Roland Garros in his most recent match, so perhaps this can be the start of his revival. He sure has a good chance against Christian Garin, who struggled with Flavio Cipolla in the first round.

 

Top Half

World #54 Pablo Carreno Busta clearly isn’t interested in improving on grass, prioritizing a clay Challenger over preparing for Wimbledon. He should have no problem reaching the semi-final, where he may find some resistance from third seed Marco Cecchinato, who has been in good form. Nevertheless, Carreno Busta will still be the clear favorite.

 

Bottom Half

 

This half is very open and offers opportunities for unseeded players to make a run. Fourth seed Bjorn Fratangelo reached the final of Caltanissetta last week and might be feeling tired, while eighth seed Roberto Marcora faces Filippo Volandri in the second round, who remains a tough player and beat Marcora in three sets only two months ago. Fifth seed Roberto Carballes Baena might just have the steadiness in his game to profit from this.

 

Predictions

Semis:

Carreno Busta d. Cecchinato

Carballes Baena d. Volandri

 

Final:

Carreno Busta d. Carballes Baena

 

Poprad-Tatry Challenger Tour 2015

 

ATP Challenger Tour

Poprad, Slovak Republic

15-20 June 2015

Red Clay

Prize Money: €42,500

 

Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)

1: Blaz Kavcic (77)

2: Aleksandr Nedovyesov (123)

3: Facundo Arguello (133)

4: Andre Ghem (135)

5: Norbert Gombos (137)

6: Gerald Melzer (167)

7: Jozef Kovalik (190)

8: Uladmizir Ignatik (204)

 

The last direct acceptance is Filip Horansky, ranked 335th.

 

Second round match-up to watch

(6) Gerald Melzer – Antonio Veic

Melzer has been slumping a bit since his great semi-final run at Munich 250, struggling with injury a bit as well. Veic is erratic as always, but if he shows up this should be an interesting encounter. Veic beat Melzer two years ago at Kosice, winning 2-6 6-3 6-1.

 

Top Half

 Top seed Blaz Kavcic is coming into this event in terrible form, having lost his last six matches. The winner of this half is likely to be found elsewhere, for instance in the second section, where third seed Facundo Arguello and last week’s Prague winner Norbert Gombos are projected to face off in the semi-final. Pere Riba, just returning from a lengthy injury lay-off, can be marked as a dark horse.

 

Bottom Half

 If Gerald Melzer can get back on track this draw offers an excellent opportunity for him, providing him with a path that likely included Andre Ghem and one of Jozef Kovalik and Aleksandr Nedovyesov.

 

Predictions

Semis:

Arguello d. Riba

Melzer d. Nedovyesov

 

Final:

Arguello d. Melzer

 

Aegon Ilkley Trophy

 

ATP Challenger Tour

Ilkley, Great Britain

15-20 June 2015

Grass

Prize Money: €42,500

 

Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)

1: Malek Jaziri (80)

2: Dudi Sela (85)

3: Blaz Rola (96)

4: Andrey Kuznetsov (99)

5: Kimmer Coppejans (103)

6: Adrian Menendez-Maceiras (111)

7: Ivan Dodig (115)

8: John Millman (118)

 

The last direct acceptance is Guido Andreozzi, ranked 180th.

 

Second round match-up to watch

 

(3) Blaz Rola – James McGee

McGee is a capable grass player, who is more than capable of upsetting the third seed here. After a semi-final showing at Surbiton, where he lost to the eventual winner Matthew Ebden, he should be confident enough to deliver.

 

Top Half

 Top seed Malek Jaziri experienced a bad first round loss last week against qualifier Matt Reid, so it remains to be seen if he can free himself from his slump. Last week’s Surbiton finalist Denis Kudla potentially awaits in the second round, so it won’t be easy for Jaziri. Other dangerous players in this half are Ante Pavic, Mirza Basic and Yuki Bhambri.

 

Bottom Half

 Ebden faces eighth seed John Millman in the first round and should be able to continue his run of good form, although he has a tough path with Millman, Jimmy Wang/Luke Saville and Andrey Kuznetsov. Realistically he will lose to Kuznetsov in the quarterfinal. In the bottom section two excellent grass players will determine a semi-finalist, Ivan Dodig and Dudi Sela.

 

Predictions 

Semis:

Jaziri d. McGee

Dodig d. Kuznetsov

 

Final:

Dodig d. Jaziri

 

Internationaux de Tennis de Blois

 

ATP Challenger Tour

Blois, France

15-21 June 2015

Red Clay

Prize Money: €35,000

 

Seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)

1: Maximo Gonzalez (95)

2: Alejandro Gonzalez (120)

3: Daniel Munoz-De La Nava (134)

4: Horacio Zeballos (140)

5: Gastao Elias (155)

6: Renzo Olivo (164)

7: Guilherme Clezar (168)

8: Christian Lindell (184)

 

The last direct acceptance is Martin Alund, ranked 336th.

 

First round match-up to watch

(3) Daniel Munoz-De La Nava – (WC) Stephane Robert

Munoz-De La Nava comes fresh off taking the title in Moscow, but he could well fall to Robert here. The Frenchman is just coming back from injury, but impressed at Roland Garros, where he managed to qualify and fell in five sets to Kyle Edmund in the first round.

 

Top Half

 Top seed Maximo Gonzalez should also be the favorite to advance to the final. Potentially his biggest opposition will come from Horacio Zeballos and Guilherme Clezar, but Zeballos has been shaky for ages, while Clezar got double bageled by Marco Cecchinato in his last match. Perhaps there is an opportunity for French youngster Tristan Lamasine to capitalize. All in all Gonzalez should really take this opportunity.

 

Bottom Half

 Another Gonzalez is heading this half, Alejandro. He should face a bit more competition, with Christian Lindell in the quarterfinal and Renzo Olivo or Stephane Robert in the semi-final. Robert beat Gonzalez in Roland Garros qualifying this year, so he will be a tough nut to crack. Or perhaps Munoz-De La Nava will continue his run of good form and deliver in back to back tournaments.

 

Predictions 

Semis:

Gonzalez d. Lamasine

Robert d. A. Gonzalez

 

Final:

Robert d. M. Gonzalez