Tennis Atlantic

2018 ATP Buenos Aires Preview and Predictions: Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini Among the Favorites
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The Golden Swing continues with a 250 level clay court stop in Buenos Aires. Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini are among the favorites as some of the ATP’s best descend on Argentina. Here is your full preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Austria’s Dominic Thiem is a heavy favorite to take the title as the #1 seed. He’ll face either home favorite Horacio Zeballos or qualifier Marco Cecchinato. I have Thiem against Argentina’s Guido Pella in the quarters, Pella’s path is Nicolas Kicker, followed by Fernando Verdasco or Quito semifinalist Thiago Monteiro. Thiem over Pella is my choice at that stage.

Italian Fabio Fognini should be good enough to defeat Leonardo Mayer or Rogerio Dutra Silva before facing fellow veteran Gael Monfils in the quarters. Monfils needs to defeat the seeded Pablo Cuevas, then Dusan Lajovic or qualifier Facundo Bagnis. Monfils wasn’t lights out in Quito, but Cuevas is struggling, thus it should be Fognini over Monfils in the quarters.

Bottom Half:

Pablo Carreno Busta struggled in Quito and will look to get back on track here. PCB will face Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or Carlos Berlocq in the second round and I have him as the favorite. Kyle Edmund had his breakthrough at the Australian Open, but he’s historically been poor on clay. Edmund faces Quito champion Roberto Carballes Baena in round 1, Federico Delbonis/Florian Mayer will follow. I have Delbonis falling to Carreno Busta in the quarterfinals.

Diego Schwartzman, a home hero, faces Andreas Haider-Maurer, he’ll get Pedro Cachin or qualifier Thomaz Bellucci in round 2. Quito finalist Albert Ramos will face Jiri Vesely or Aljaz Bedene. Bedene has some great potential this tournament and I have him beating Vesely and the tired Ramos to reach the quarters. Schwartzman is my pick to reach the semis.

Predictions

Semis
Fognini d. Thiem
Carreno Busta d. Schwartzman

I’m not entirely confident in Thiem, and Fognini seems due for a solid result. The bottom half is open for the taking, but I’ll go with the steady Carreno Busta to reach the final.

Final
Fognini d. Carreno Busta

Any number of players could be champion here, but I’ll go with the veteran dirtballer Fognini to make a run and come home with the trophy.