Tennis Atlantic

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Returns to the ATP Tour at ATP Metz 2018
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP World Tour returns with a 250 in France on indoor hard courts. The tournament in Metz attracts many home stars and a host of other talents coming off the US Open and Davis Cup duty.

Top Half:

US Open semifinalist Kei Nishikori is the top seed and will be favored against Jo Wilfried-Tsonga or Peter Gojowczyk in his first match. Tsonga has been out almost the entire season with knee problems and Nishikori is in good form. Talented 20 year old Ugo Humbert is on the cusp of the top 100 and has a good shot at the quarterfinals given his current form. Humbert opens with a qualifier, Nikoloz Basilashvili or a qualifier will be next. Basilashvili’s experience makes him favored to reach the quarterfinals against Nishikori, but Humbert is a dark horse. Nishikori should win the section if fit.

Home hero Lucas Pouille is in poor form, Jaume Munar is in the section as well and should be favored against a qualifier. Quentin Halys is in good form and I’ll back him to upset Benoit Paire in a battle of Frenchmen. Philipp Kohlschreiber should beat a struggling Mischa Zverev, with Kohlschreiber expected to beat Halys/Paire, and then Pouille in the quarters.

Bottom Half:

Stefanos Tsitsipas will be favored against Max Marterer or an out of form Ricardas Berankis first up. Radu Albot or Pierre-Hugues Herbert will face Adrian Mannarino or Marton Fucsovics first up. Mannarino should win his first two matches with Tsitsipas beating Mannarino in the quarters.

One of the tournament and fan favorites, Richard Gasquet, will be favored to win his section. Jurgen Zopp/qualifier stand in the way, with Jiri Vesely/Gilles Simon, and Filip Krajinovic/Corentin Moutet also in this section. I have Vesely beating a disappointing Simon, and Moutet upsetting Krajinovic on home court. Gasquet over Vesely should decide the section.

Predictions

Semis
Nishikori d. Kohlschreiber
Gasquet d. Tsitsipas

Nishikori and Gasquet are on track to face off in the final, with Nishikori favored to lift the trophy after a strong US Open performance.

Final
Nishikori d. Gasquet