2018 ATP Kitzbuhel

Fantastic Fabio Fognini and Martin Klizan Claim ATP Titles
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

ATP Los Cabos

Fabio Fognini won his third title of 2018 and moved within one spot of his career high ranking (13) after upsetting Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4 6-2. Fognini dropped just one set this week and that came in his first match against Quentin Halys. After winning that match he eased past Yoshihito Nishioka, and Cam Norrie dropping just 18 games in his final three matches this week, facing no tiebreaks.

Del Potro reached his fourth ATP final of the season easing past Marcos Giron, Egor Gerasimov and Damir Dzumhur without dropping a set.

Mexico’s own Arevalo/Reyes-Varela defeated Fritz/Kokkinakis in the doubles final.

ATP Kitzbuhel

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The ATP clay court season wrapped up with qualifier Martin Klizan winning in Kitzbuhel, his first ATP title since 2016. Klizan had it easy against Denis Istomin winning 6-2 6-2. Over the course of the week Klizan won two qualifying matches, plus he defeated Sebastian Ofner, Dominic Thiem, Dusan Lajovic, and Jaume Munar in the main draw, dropping sets against Thiem and Lajovic.

Istomin had his best run of the season, he came out of qualifying and then defeated Federico Delbonis, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Max Marterer, and Nicolas Jarry to reach the final in a surprise. He wasn’t favored in any match this week but won all but the final.

Jebavy/Molteni defeated Bracciali/Delbonis in the doubles final.

Home Hero Dominic Thiem Hopes to Lift ATP Kitzbuhel Trophy
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP 250 on clay in Kitzbuhel closes out the ATP clay court season as some of the ATP’s best on the surface look to maximize their points and money with one final set of matches.

Top Half:

Dominic Thiem is very good on clay, and should be thrilled to get the chance to show that in his home country. The top seed faces Sebastian Ofner or qualifier Martin Klizan first up, with Dusan Lajovic likely to defeat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and then Dennis Novak/Jurij Rodionov in round 2. Thiem should take the section though Klizan and Lajovic are not pushovers on the surface.

Robin Haase is a former champ but I have him falling to Yannick Hanfmann or Jaume Munar in the second round. Hamburg champion Nikoloz Basilashvili opens with Laslo Djere, he should be fatigued so the Gstaad semifinalist Djere should advance. I have Djere beating Taro Daniel or J.L. Struff and then Hanfmann in the quarters.

Bottom Half:

Phillip Kohlschreiber is the defending champion, he should get Federico Delbonis/Denis Istomin in round 2. Kohli is the favorite to reach the quarters while I have an in-form Jurgen Zopp running the table past Max Marterer and Corentin Moutet/Mikhail Kukushkin before falling to Kohlschreiber.

I’ll back the in-form Nicolas Jarry to defeat Roberto Carballes Baena and Fernando Verdasco to reach the quarters. Gilles Simon should edge an exhausted Matteo Berrettini while Jozef Kovalik is in good enough form to get past Radu Albot and Simon. I’ll take Jarry to beat Kovalik in the quarters.

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Predictions

Semis
Thiem d. Djere
Jarry d. Kohlschreiber

Thiem is the favorite to take the title and if things hold true to form he’ll do so, triumphing at home.

Final
Thiem d. Jarry