2018 ATP Antalya

Mischa Zverev Wins Maiden ATP Title while Dzumhur Claims Third in Wimbledon Warm Up
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

ATP Eastbourne

By a score of 6-4 6-4 Mischa Zverev, a 30 year old tour veteran and for many years an ATP Challenger Tour journeyman, stepped up and captured his first ATP title, defeating Lukas Lacko in the final. Zverev, contesting a third career final, edged Lacko after previously dropping just a set this week. In his opening match he needed 3 sets to defeat Nicolas Jarry but things got easier from there as his serve and volley game led him past Steve Johnson, Denis Shapovalov, and Mikhail Kukushkin to reach the final.

Lacko, normally a challenger player, found form at the ATP level to defeat Roberto Quiroz, Diego Schwartzman, Cam Norrie, and Marco Cecchinato, dropping just a set to Schwartzman prior to the final. Despite their success at this 250 level tournament, it would be surprise if Zverev or Lacko featured in a major way at Wimbledon.

British pairing Bambridge/O’Mara defeated the Skupski brothers in the doubles final.

ATP Antalya

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#2 seed Damir Dzumhur won his third career ATP title, defeating Adrian Mannarino 6-1 1-6 6-1 in an hour and a half final on grass courts in Turkey. The 250 level title continues to confirm Dzumhur’s rise on tour as the Bosnian slipped past Marius Copil then eased past Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Jiri Vesely to reach the final.

Mannarino having never won an ATP title, was hungry but came up just short. The quirky Frenchman defeated Ricardas Berankis, Joao Sousa, and Gael Monfils, upsetting Monfils in three sets to reach the final.

Demoliner/Gonzalez defeated Dutch pairing Arends/Middelkoop in the doubles final.

Gael Monfils Looks To Get Back on Track at the Antalya Open 250
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The Antalya Open 250 is one of two final ATP warm up tournaments for Wimbledon and one of the last opportunities to gain ATP points on grass this season. Here is your look at all the action in Turkey this week.

Top Half:

Adrian Mannarino played good enough in Queens to suggest he’ll defeat Evgeny Donskoy/Ricardas Berankis in round 2 and then get past Florian Mayer or Joao Sousa in the quarters. I have Mayer defeating Mirza Basic in round 2, after Basic defeats Paolo Lorenzi.

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Gael Monfils vs Robin Haase looks to be the matchup in quarterfinal #2. Monfils should find form to defeat a qualifier or Marcos Baghdatis, while Haase needs to defeat a qualifier and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or a qualifier. I’ll go with Monfils to win the quarterfinal contest.

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Bottom Half:

Marius Copil should have a good tournament with only Cem Ilkel and Damir Dzumhur standing in his path to the quarters. I’ll back Yuichi Sugita to continue his good form from Queens and defeat Guido Pella and Federico Delbonis/Pierre-Hugues Herbert and reach the quarters. Sugita over Copil is my pick at that stage.

Fernando Verdasco has a nice draw with Jiri Vesely/Jordan Thompson in the way in round 2, and Dusan Lajovic or a qualifier/Nikoloz Basilashvili/Roberto Carballes Baena awaiting in the quarters. Verdasco should win this section.

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Predictions

semis
Mannarino d. Monfils
Sugita d. Verdasco

Sugita just seems due for success in a smaller ATP tournament like this (he won the title last year), though Mannarino could just as easily take the title. Sugita beat him in the final last year.

final
Sugita d. Mannarino