2016 ATP Antwerp

Del Potro, Gasquet, and Carreno Busta Claim Final ATP 250 Trophies of the 2016 Season
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic\

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ATP Stockholm

Juan Martin Del Potro claimed his first ATP title since 2014, and his first since returning from serious wrist injuries in Stockholm. The Argentine became his nation’s #1 again and eased past Jack Sock 7-5 6-1. Del Potro didn’t drop a set all week as he dominated a host of quality ATP level opponents with his trademark power hitting tennis. Del Potro eased past big servers John Isner and Ivo Karlovic, with Nicolas Almagro in between. He defeated Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals.

Sock for his part had to fight to earn some tough wins this week, he defeated Malek Jaziri, Dustin Brown, Gastao Elias, and Alexander Zverev to reach the final. Sock is likely to finish the year with three ATP finals but no titles, all of his finals this year came at the ATP 250 level.

The Ymer brothers, Mikael and Elias had a home triumph over Mate Pavic and Michael Venus in the doubles final. The Swedish young guns were wild cards and surprise champions.

ATP Antwerp

Richard Gasquet won his second ATP title of the season 7-6 6-1 over Diego Schwartzman. Gasquet was one of the top players in the Antwerp field and eased past Inigo Cervantes and Jan-Lennard Struff in straight sets before a three set win over rising Brit Kyle Edmund in the semifinals. The Argentine Schwartzman reached his second career ATP final after upsetting Nicolas Mahut, Taylor Fritz, Pablo Cuevas, and Belgium’s #1 David Goffin. Goffin’s semifinal loss hurt his chances of qualifying for the 2016 World Tour Finals.

Daniel Nestor and Edouard Roger-Vasselin beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut in a doubles final contested between two well known ATP doubles pairings.

ATP Moscow

Pablo Carreno Busta won his second career ATP title, both came this season. The Spaniard completed a comeback victory over Italy’s Fabio Fognini 4-6 6-3 6-2. His 38 wins this season are a career high, as he’s broken through into the ATP’s top 40.

Fognini beat Ricardas Berankis, his countryman Paolo Lorenzi, Albert Ramos, and Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the final. PCB defeated Jurgen Melzer, Damir Dzumhur, Alexander Bublik, and Stephane Robert to reach the final that ended with the champions trophy in his hands.

Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah defeated Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer to take the doubles title.

2016 ATP Antwerp Previews and Predictions
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

A brand new ATP event takes place this week in Antwerp, Belgium, it’s a 250 level tournament and some of the best European players on tour are taking part in the European open.

European Open
ATP World Tour 250
October 17-23, 2016
Antwerp, Belgium
Surface: Indoor Hard
Prize Money: €566,525

Top 4 seeds (who all receive first round byes) (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: David Goffin (12)
2: David Ferrer (15)
3: Richard Gasquet (17)
4: Pablo Cuevas (22)

Antwerp hosts three top 20 players including home hero David Goffin.

First round matchups to watch:

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(WC)Steve Darcis vs. Benoit Paire

Steve Darcis is a home favorite, and he’ll put his serve and volley skills up against a struggling Benoit Paire. Paire has been off his game for months and the veteran Darcis could knock him off.

Top Half:

David Goffin will face off with Tommy Robredo or Florian Mayer, with #6 seed Joao Sousa his most likely quarterfinal opponent. Goffin is in the race for London and needs to win his home tournament to have a chance at qualifying. Mayer is struggling, Sousa likewise isn’t playing well but he tends to play well indoors and he should beat qualifier Marius Copil, and the Darcis/Paire winner. Goffin over Sousa is my pick in the quarters.

Serve and volleyer Nicolas Mahut plays well in indoor hard court tournaments like this and he should dispatch Diego Schwartzman and Taylor Fritz or Joris De Loore for a spot in the quarterfinals. Fritz should defeat local favorite De Loore, while Pablo Cuevas faces Jozef Kovalik or Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in round 2. Kovalik has the best form in his section, and Mahut over Kovalik is my pick for the quarters.

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Bottom Half:

David Ferrer is just 16-10 on hard courts this year but he’s still the strongest player in his section. The veteran will face an in-form but likely fatigued Kyle Edmund in round 2, after Edmund beats Illya Marchenko. Paul-Henri Mathieu faces Robin Haase first, with a struggling Federico Delbonis or an equally struggling Andreas Seppi to follow. Mathieu over Seppi is my pick for round 2, with Ferrer favored to defeat Mathieu.

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Shenzen finalist Richard Gasquet will face Inigo Cervantes or serve and volleying qualifier Michael Berrer in round 2. Berrer should fall to Gasquet, and that would setup an all-French matchup with Gilles Simon. Simon faces ATP main draw debutante Yannick Maden with J.L. Struff, the Mons challenger champ, or Mikhail Youzhny to follow. Simon reached the semis in Shanghai, so I have him beating Struff and Gasquet to reach the semis and continue his good form.

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Dark Horse: Kyle Edmund

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If the British #2 can knock off Ferrer he would have a clear path to the semifinals. Edmund isn’t the headline grabber that Andy Murray is but he’s shown steady improvement this season, and a win over Ferrer would be a big result.

Predictions

Semis
Goffin d. Mahut
Simon d. Ferrer

Goffin and Simon’s form should tip them to reach the final.