Yosuke Watanuki Reaches 1st @ATPWorldTour Main Draw as Top Seeds Stumble @CitiOpen Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
Patience paid off for Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki on Sunday as he advanced to the main draw of the first ATP World Tour event in his career after a 6-4, 6-4 victory over top qualifying seed Jason Kubler at the Citi Open in Washington.
“I am so happy for the first time for the main draw in the ATP tour. I am so happy now,” he told me after the win. “This is a first time, because I played (in qualifiers) two times in Tokyo,” he added.
Yosuke Watanuki, 2018 Citi Open
Yosuke Watanuki, 2018 Citi Open
Despite having played yesterday, while his opponent had a bye, he believed it gave him the upper hand. “That was good for me,” he said. “It’s especially for the ball and the court. In the beginning, I could play much more relaxed.”
We got lots of twitter activity when we mentioned Watanuki yesterday and asked him about it. “For the fans, thank you so much for every time that you support me.”
The 20-year-old will face wild card Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday.
The four top seeds received a Bye in the qualifying tournament’s first round, meaning they only had to win a single match to qualify. That turned out to be a bridge too far.
It wasn’t just the number one seed going down today, but the 2 and 3 seeds as well. American Donald Young worked through 3 seed Jason Jung in just under two hours with Jung going down in retirement. Young’s prize for qualifying is a prize-fight against Stan Wawrinka Monday on Stadium Court.
The 2 seed wasn’t safe, either, with American Mitch Krueger making the main draw here in his second attempt. Krueger routined 2nd seed Ramkumar Ramanthan, a finalist in Newport, and was never broken in the match. After the match, Krueger also agreed that playing yesterday was a plus.
Mitchell Krueger, 2018 Citi Open
“I definitely think getting a match under my belt yesterday was really helpful, because you can practice all you want, but it’s hard to simulate match conditions in practice,” he said. “I was lucky because I played on the same court (Grandstand 1) as yesterday, so I was more comfortable and knew what to expect. It’s always great to qualify and earn your way in.”
Krueger’s first round match is against Pierre Hugues-Herbert.
Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Cilic All Ready to Roll at Wimbledon 2018 Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Wimbledon has arrived and for fans of men’s tennis it’s a great time to tune in as most of the ATP’s best are on hand to compete. Here is your full preview, with predictions.
Federer’s Quarter
Roger Federer, 8 times a Wimbledon champion, should ease into the second week. Dusan Lajovic, Lukas Lacko and one of Leonardo Mayer/J.L. Struff/Mikhail Youzhny/Ivo Karlovic look set to be his first three opponents. On a good day they could trouble Federer but in best 5 Federer should advance into the second week.
I’ll back Borna Coric to make a run. The young Croat met Federer in a recent final (defeating him) and presuming he beats Daniil Medvedev I also have him getting past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Adrian Mannarino to reach the second week. Mannarino can be great on grass but Coric has the most upside.
Richard Gasquet and Sam Querrey highlight the third section. Gasquet will have to get past his talented countryman Gael Monfils in round 1, but presuming he does that (and beats Laslo Djere), he’ll draw Querrey, another solid grass court player, in the third round. Querrey has to beat Jordan Thomson and Sergiy Stakhovsky/Joao Sousa. While Querrey is a trendy pick I’ll back the veteran Gasquet to win this section.
The fourth section of the draw features a host of veterans. Kevin Anderson is perhaps the favorite against Norbert Gombos, J.P. Smith/Andreas Seppi, and either Gilles Muller or Philipp Kohlschreiber. Kohli has also had some success on grass but beating Evgeny Donskoy and a struggling but competitive Muller is a tough task. Overall Anderson should survive.
Cilic’s Quarter
A finalist last year, Marin Cilic could win it all this year. Yoshihito Nisihoka, Guido Pella/Jason Kubler, and most likely MacKenzie McDonald in round 3 are not difficult opponents in the early going (McDonald should surprise and get past Ricardas Berankis and Nicolas Jarry/Filip Krajinovic). The challenge will come for Cilic in later rounds.
Milos Raonic played great in the warm up to Wimbledon and presuming he’s fit he should ease past Liam Broady, John Millman, and the Lucas Pouille/Denis Kudla winner in round 3. Kudla is in great form but Pouille should have enough to get past him. Raonic should win the section.
With Pablo Carreno Busta struggling, the section should open for John Isner. Yannick Maden, Steve Johnson/Ruben Bemelmans, and either Cam Norrie or Radu Albot/Carreno Busta should be his first three opponents. I have the Brit Norrie making a run but Isner coming out ahead in round 3.
Grigor Dimitrov is a solid grass court player and should get past Stan Wawrinka in round 1, Wawrinka is in terrible form. However I have Stefanos Tsitsipas, the rising young gun, winning this section. Tsitsipas opens with Gregoire Barrere, Jared Donaldson should follow, while Dimitrov should win his first 2 matches before falling to Tsitsipas in round 3.
Zverev’s Quarter
Alexander Zverev is struggling, and although he’ll probably beat James Duckworth, Lorenzi Sonego/Taylor Fritz, and most likely recent grass court titlist Damir Dzumhur to reach the fourth round. Dzumhur faces Max Marterer, and Ernests Gulbis/Jay Clarke to reach round 3.
Nick Kyrgios is in good form and always a threat on grass, I’ll back him to serve past Denis Istomin, Marius Copil, and Kei Nishikori. Nishikori needs to beat Bernard Tomic in round 2 in an interesting match. Nishikori could win the section but on this surface Kyrgios should be favored.
Novak Djokovic started slow coming back from injury earlier this season. That said, he’s rounding into form now just in time for Wimbledon and he should defeat Tennys Sandgren, Guido Andreozzi/Horacio Zeballos, and Kyle Edmund (or Yuichi Sugita) to reach the second week.
Dominic Thiem has never been a factor on grass, but he has a decent section if he can get past David Ferrer or Karen Khachanov in round 2 (Marcos Baghdatis is up in round 1). Fernando Verdasco is in the same section and will face a tough test against Frances Tiafoe before running into Julien Benneteau or Marton Fucsovics. Thiem should win the section but not get further.
Nadal’s Quarter
Rafael Nadal hasn’t gone very far at Wimbledon in quite some time, but perhaps this will be the year he’s a factor on grass again. Rafa opens with Dudi Sela, Mikhail Kukushkin/Vasek Pospisil will be up in round 2, with rising star Alex De Minaur likely to feature in round 3. De Minaur is in great form on grass and should defeat Marco Cecchinato, and Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Mischa Zverev before getting his crack at stunning Nadal. I’ll back Rafa but not with confidence.
The section above Rafa is rather weak, Fabio Fognini likely reaches round 3 with wins over Taro Daniel and Pablo Cuevas/Alexandr Dolgopolov. I have Jiri Vesely winning the section over Florian Mayer and Diego Schwartzman, then past Fognini. Schwartzman has never won a match at Wimbledon and Vesely is good enough on grass to make it through.
David Goffin and Jack Sock are the seeds in the next section, but Sock is in terrible form and Goffin isn’t doing so great either. I’ll back the in-form Matt Ebden to surprise Goffin in round 1, then get past Albert Ramos and Nikoloz Basilashvili to claim his best ever result in a major. Basilashvili takes on Gilles Simon, then Sock or Matteo Berrettini and could also win the section.
With Andy Murray out, a lucky loser will meet with Benoit Paire in round 1, Jeremy Chardy or Denis Shapovalov are in decent form and should follow. Chardy should take advantage of the section before falling to big hitter Juan Martin Del Potro though. JMDP faces Peter Gojowczyk, and Feliciano Lopez, a solid grass court player, in round 2.
Round of 16 Federer d. Coric
Gasquet d. Anderson
Cilic d. Raonic
Tsitsipas d. Isner
Djokovic d. Thiem
Kyrgios d. A. Zverev
Del Potro d. Ebden
Nadal d. Vesely
The bottom half is far weaker than the top. Cilic vs. Raonic should be a great match, while I have Tsitsipas surprising into the quarters and Kyrgios doing the same. Federer should get revenge in best of 5 against Coric.
Quarters Federer d. Gasquet
Cilic d. Tsitsipas
Djokovic d. Kyrgios
Del Potro d. Nadal
These 4 look like four of the top five contenders in the draw. Djokovic is back in form enough to do damage while Del Potro on grass should be better than Rafa.
Semis Federer d. Cilic
Djokovic d. Del Potro
Cilic and Del Potro will have chances, but Djokovic and Federer should be the favorites to reach the final. At this time I’ll back Federer to win again, until proven wrong he’s a smart choice.
Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Stan Wawrinka All In Action at ATP London Queens Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
The Fever-Tree Championships 500 on Grass at London Queens is a pivotal warm-up tournament for Wimbledon, accordingly many ATP stars are back in action including Andy Murray who returns to the ATP Tour after a long injury layoff. Here is your look at all the action.
Top Half:
Marin Cilic, the top seed, faces Fernando Verdasco round 1 and Denis Shapovalov or Gilles Muller round 2, a pretty brutal opening start. Cilic is good enough on this surface though to suggest he’ll win both matches and reach the quarterfinals.
Stan Wawrinka is not in good form but Cam Norrie and Jay Clarke or Sam Querrey isn’t the worst start in the world. I’ll back Wawrinka to edge Norrie but fall to Sam Querrey as Querrey should reach the quarterfinals before losing to Cilic.
Milos Raonic played well in Stuttgart, reaching the final, and should ease past Yuki Bhambri and Feliciano Lopez or David Goffin to reach the quarters. I’ll back Lopez to upset Goffin but Raonic to win the section and defeat Nick Kyrgios in the quarters. Kyrgios also had a great run on grass in Stuttgart and should defeat Andy Murray in his return from a hip injury. Kyle Edmund is also in this section and should defeat Ryan Harrison before falling to Kyrgios.
With #2 seed Grigor Dimitrov struggling look for Novak Djokovic to benefit. Djokovic should defeat qualifier John Millman and then Dimitrov (or Damir Dzumhur) to reach the quarters. I’ll back wild card Dan Evans to await Djokovic at that stage, Evans has been fantastic on grass since returning from a drug ban, he should beat a struggling Adrian Mannarino, and Tomas Berdych or Julien Benneteau before falling to Djokovic.
Kevin Anderson looks set to make a nice run, Leonardo Mayer and Jared Donaldson or Frances Tiafoe will be his first set of opponents. Jack Sock could await in the quarters with Sock facing Daniil Medvedev and Tim Smyczek or Jeremy Chardy in round 2. I’ll back Medvedev over Sock and Chardy but Anderson to win the quarterfinal.
I’ll back Raonic to go one further than the previous week and take the title. Cilic and Djokovic are good opponents but if Raonic serves well he could fight his way to a massive title this week.
CITI OPEN® WELCOMES RISING STARS HYEON CHUNG, NAOMI OSAKA,
DENIS SHAPOVALOV AND FRANCES TIAFOE TO FIELD Next generation of tennis stars join Murray, Wozniacki, Stephens and more at 50th edition of Washington’s Tennis Tradition
WASHINGTON (May 30, 2018) — The next generation of tennis stars are joining a highly accomplished field in this summer’s Citi Open® Tennis Tournament, July 28-August 5, 2018.
The 50th edition of the Washington Tournament will feature World No. 20, 2018 Australian Open semifinalist and 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals champion Hyeon Chung; 2018 Indian Wells Champion Naomi Osaka; youngest player in the Top 50 of the ATP rankings and No. 1 Canadian Denis Shapovalov; and Washington-area native, Frances Tiafoe, who became the youngest American male since Andy Roddick in 2002 to win an ATP World Tour championship when he captured February’s Delray Beach title.
These young stars are hoping to build off sensational wins at this summer’s tournament, joining an incredible field at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center this summer. Previously announced players include former World No. 1 and 2018 Australian Open Champion Caroline Wozniacki; former World No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam Champion Andy Murray; 2017 U.S. Open Champion and 2015 Citi Open Champion Sloane Stephens; World No. 10 and three-time Citi Open finalist John Isner; 2015 Citi Open Champion Kei Nishikori; World No. 7, 2017 Citi Open and U.S. Open finalist Kevin Anderson; World No. 9 David Goffin; and Bob and Mike Bryan, who clinched their 116th doubles title in Monte Carlo.
“This young, talented group are some of the hottest names in tennis right now. They are quickly rising up the rankings and making headlines with their big performances. What they have been able to accomplish on the court at 19, 20 and 22 years old is incredible,” said Keely O’Brien, Tournament Director. “Their personalities are also quite engaging. From their on-air interviews to their social media, you see bright, humble and often funny individuals sharing their stories from on and off the court. So, while we celebrate 50 years of history here in DC, I hope this Tournament continues to be a storyline in their careers.”
The Washington tournament has been Washington, D.C.’s premier tennis event since 1969 and benefits the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation(WTEF), the tournament’s non-profit owner and beneficiary. The organization provides underserved children in the D.C.-area with a safe environment to learn critical life skills both on and off the courts through academic and athletic enrichment.
Founded by Donald Dell and John Harris, the Washington tournament celebrates its 50th edition in 2018. The Citi Open Tennis Tournament is one of only 13 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide and the only one held in the United States. The tournament also features a WTA International Tournament, which provides fans the opportunity to watch simultaneous competitions of both world-class men’s and women’s tennis throughout the nine-day event. It is one of only five U.S. tournaments that include both men’s and women’s fields. Main draw matches of the tournament will be broadcast starting Monday, July 30, on Tennis Channel.d
Ticket packages and all single session tickets are available now. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.citiopentennis.com. Follow the news on http://www.facebook.com/citiopen, @CitiOpen on Twitter, or CitiOpen on Instagram. The Citi Open Tennis Tournament is a Lagardère Sports production, and Citi Open is a registered service mark of its title sponsor Citigroup Inc.
2018 ATP Brisbane Preview and Predictions: Dimitrov and Murray Start Season Down Under Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
The ATP 250 on hard courts in Brisbane this week has the strongest field of the three ATP tournaments that kick off the 2018 season. Grigor Dimitrov looks to build off a career year in 2017, while Andy Murray and Milos Raonic hope to come back healthy in 2018. Aussie home hero Nick Kyrgios is also in the field and could make a run. Here is your full preview, with predictions of the Brisbane International in sunny Queensland.
Top Half:
Dimitrov, now a top 5 player, looks to build on his 49-19 season last year against either John Millman or a qualifier, Millman is a plucky challenger level player but he only had a handful of ATP level matches last year and Dimitrov should be too much for him. Besides Dimitrov, young guns dominate this section, Kyrgios should face young American Frances Tiafoe, Canada’s next big thing Denis Shapovalov takes on Kyle Edmund in a highlighted round 1 match, and Hyeon Chung takes on big serving veteran Gilles Muller to open his 2018 season. I have Shapovalov making a run and getting past both Edmund and Chung before falling to Dimitrov.
Kyrgios, if engaged, should defeat Tiafoe or local Aussie Matt Ebden before taking on Diego Schwartzman. Schwartzman’s path is Alex Dolgopolov and Horacio Zeballos/qualifier. The 25 year old won 38 matches last year, all of them at the tour level, and despite being undersized he showed plenty of big game on hard courts. That said, Kyrgios serve should help him reach the semis to face Dimitrov.
Canada’s top 2 are in Brisbane as Milos Raonic hopes to be fit in his opening match against either Steve Johnson or Alex De Minaur, a talented young wild card. Johnson could surprise, but Raonic is the favorite to reach the quarters and also beat Mischa Zverev/Federico Delbonis or one of two qualifiers.
Andy Murray had limited movement and played flat in an exo match in the Middle East last week, he starts off his ATP season in Brisbane but I have very low expectations. Ryan Harrison had a decent season in 2017 and I have him defeating both Leo Mayer and Murray before falling to Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, who won a pair of post US Open titles to end 2017. Dzumhur opens with Denis Istomin then he’ll face either 23 year old Jordan Thompson or 21 year old American hope Jared Donaldson, both of whom could be trouble.
Given how he finished 2017 Dimitrov is the tournament favorite until proven otherwise. The bottom half is the weaker part of the draw, and if Raonic plays a decent caliber of hard court tennis he should take it.
Final
Dimitrov d. Raonic
Look for Dimitrov to get off to a winning start in 2018
The “big four” men are into Wimbledon week 2 on the men’s side, will one of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray or Roger Federer take home the Wimbledon title? Here is your full week 2 preview.
Round of 16:
Andy Murray vs. Benoit Paire
The defending champion has again found form, Murray dropped a set against Fabio Fognini in round 3, but won easily against Alexander Bublik and Dustin Brown. He now faces another junkball hitter, Benoit Paire, Paire is a surprise in week 2, but he hasn’t faced a difficult draw. Rogerio Dutra Silva, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and Jerzy Janowicz was his path to week 2, and he only dropped a set against RDS, edging the big servers in rounds 2 and 3. Murray has a backhand that can compete with Paire’s, and a better all-around game, he should win this match with relative ease. Murray in 3
Sam Querrey vs. Kevin Anderson
Two great grass court players, After wins over Thomas Fabbiano and Nikoloz Basilashvili, Querrey upset Jo-Wilfried Tsonga over two days of tennis, winning a fifth set. Anderson eased past Fernando Verdasco, Andreas Seppi, and Ruben Bemelmans, as Daniil Medvedev upset Stan Wawrinka to open up this section. This is a great opportunity for both players, and I expect them to peak, Anderson’s serve should help him through though. Anderson in 5
Rafael Nadal vs. Gilles Muller
Nadal is 5-1 against Muller and hasn’t dropped a set this Wimbledon. Muller is in great form and should bother Rafa a bit, but his topspin should keep the veteran serve and volleyer pinned to the baseline. Nadal beat John Millman, Donald Young, and Karen Khachanov, Muller beat Marton Fuscovics, Lukas Rosol (in five sets), and Aljaz Bedene and deserves much credit for reaching the second week of Wimbledon at his age. A renewed Nadal should prevail. Nadal in 4
Roberto Bautista Agut vs. Marin Cilic
RBA is here after stunning Kei Nishikori in round 3, he also scored wins over Andreas Haider-Maurer and Peter Gojowczyk, it’s a bit of a surprise he’s playing this well, but Cilic has been lights out and should score a punishing win in this one. Cilic has slayed Philipp Kohlschreiber, Florian Mayer, and Steve Johnson all without dropping a set, which is quite an accomplishment on grass. Cilic in 3
Milos Raonic vs. Alexander Zverev
Unlike his performance in Paris, Zverev is playing really well in a slam, he has wins over Evgeny Donskoy, Frances Tiafoe, and surprise qualifier Sebastian Ofner without dropping a set. Raonic beat Jan-Lennard Struff, Mikhail Youzhny, and Albert Ramos in his bid to repeat as a finalist or take the title this season. Raonic’s serve and skill coming forward almost ensures he’ll take a set here, but Zverev is a better mover and should be able to hit his marks to win this. Zverev in 5
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Roger Federer
Federer has never lost to Dimitrov, who plays a somewhat similar style of tennis, and he just dismissed Mischa Zverev in straights, after defeating Dusan Lajovic and Alexandr Dolgopolov. The maestro is in some of his best grass court form, and Dimitrov shouldn’t be able to match him shot for shot. Dimitrov beat Diego Schwartzman, Marcos Baghdatis, and Dudi Sela to get this far. Federer in 3
Dominic Thiem vs. Tomas Berdych
Both players have had a great tournament given they entered in shaky form, Thiem defeated Vasek Pospisil, Gilles Simon, and Jared Donaldson. Berdych defeated Jeremy Chardy, Ryan Harrison, and David Ferrer, the win over Ferrer coming in straights, even though Ferrer upset an injured Richard Gasquet in the opening round. Thiem has the game to win this match, but Berdych’s power on grass should disrupt his timing enough to help the veteran Czech reach the quarterfinals. Berdych in 5
Adrian Mannarino vs. Novak Djokovic
After winning via retirement against Feliciano Lopez, Mannarino has won long matches against Yuichi Sugita and Gael Monfils. His grass form is great and he should be proud of what he’s accomplished in week 1. That said, Novak Djokovic has taken care of business in the opening week, Martin Klizan retired against him, Adam Pavlasek and Ernests Gulbis also succumbed, even though Gulbis had found form to upset Del Potro and reach round 3. If Djokovic is going to lose this tournament, it won’t be against Mannarino, Djokovic is too physical and will bully the Frenchman around the court. Djokovic in 3
Quarters: Murray d. Anderson in 4
Cilic d. Nadal in 5
Federer d. A. Zverev in 4
Djokovic d. Berdych in 3
Cilic is playing well enough that I’ll stick by my prediction of him defeating Nadal in the quarters, the other big names, Murray, Federer, and Djokovic should shrug off challenges to reach the semifinals.
Semis: Murray d. Cilic in 4
Federer d. Djokovic in 4
Murray and Federer are the two best grass court players right now, they are worthy of meeting in the Wimbledon final, and I give Federer a clear edge in that final as long as he can keep himself fit and fresh.
2017 Wimbledon Men’s Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
The peak of summer has arrived, and with it Wimbledon in London will begin again on Monday. Here is your complete preview, with predictions.
Wimbledon
Grand Slam
July 3-16, 2017
London, Great Britain
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: £14,840,000
Top 8 seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Andy Murray (1)
2: Novak Djokovic (2)
3: Roger Federer (4)
4: Rafael Nadal (5)
5: Stan Wawrinka (3)
6: Milos Raonic (6)
7: Marin Cilic (8)
8: Dominic Thiem (9)
The biggest player missing is David Goffin, dirtballers Pablo Carreno Busta and Pablo Cuevas are also out, as is Britain’s Daniel Evans, who failed a drug test.
First round matches to watch:
Denis Shapovalov vs. Jerzy Janowicz
Talented young Canadian Shapovalov makes his slam debut with a winnable but difficult contest against the big hitter Janowicz. The Polish player is a former Wimbledon semifinalist, but his lack of work ethic has crushed his ATP level talents and he’s still languishing outside of the top 150. Janowicz has enough game to win this, but don’t count Shapovalov out, he’s a hard worker and plays well beyond his years.
(31)Fernando Verdasco vs. Kevin Anderson
Both Verdasco and Anderson have reached the second week at Wimbledon before and are solid on grass. These veterans could use a bit of form though and we could be in for a long and shaky contest. Verdasco has more upside, but Anderson’s serve is a steady weapon on fast surfaces, and he should secure tiebreaks to win.
(5)Stan Wawrinka vs. Daniil Medvedev
Wawrinka has made two Wimbledon quarterfinals, and some are calling him a dark horse this year, but his form has been terrible on grass the past couple of seasons, and it seems his long backswing really disadvantages him on the grass. Medvedev has been in red hot form with a 9-3 record on the grass this season. The young Russian is due for a breakthrough win, and I’ll back him to get it on a fast surface that suits his game. Look for Wawrinka to be the first major Wimbledon casualty.
(7)Marin Cilic vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber
Both players have reached the quarters at Wimbledon, but Cilic has done it three years in a row and he’s in better form, with a legitimate shot to be the dark horse contender for the final, and possibly the title. He’ll need to go against the h2h in this matchup though, as Kohli has won 6 out of 9 meetings in this matchup. Cilic’s form is a bit better though, and the Croatian should find his way.
(27)Mischa Zverev vs. Bernard Tomic
Despite struggling this season, the former quarterfinalist Tomic just beat Zverev on grass rather easily, and Wimbledon is his best slam, as it suits his funky game. Zverev is a late bloomer with a lethal serve and volley game when he’s clicking though and this could turn into a very long match. Tomic is the favorite, but I’ll go with Zverev to keep his mettle and win a likely five setter, Tomic’s inconsistency is a great worry.
(8)Dominic Thiem vs. Vasek Pospisil
Thiem is just 1-2 on grass this year and has never played well at Wimbledon. Pospisil is 9-3 and once reached the quarters at SW19, the Canadian has fallen in the rankings, but his serve is still dangerous, and given how awful Thiem’s game has looked in his two grass court outings, I’ll go with Pospisil in the upset, in what should be a big boost to his confidence. Pospisil has the talent to win this.
(19)Feliciano Lopez vs. Adrian Mannarino
A three-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, the 35 year old Lopez is in some of the best form his career on grass with a 9-1 record that includes a final and a title at Queen’s club. Mannarino just reached the final in Antalya on grass and also has talent on this fast surface, but fatigue could play a factor in his performance. Look for the veteran Lopez to get this win, and take his serve and volley game deeper into the tournament, where he will threaten some of the top players.
(29)Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
Both players are comeback kids, having overcome injuries to return to the ATP tour. Kokkinakis is still easing his way back but his game is suited for fast surfaces, Del Potro has not had grass court prep but he’s look competitive in his return to the game, and of course the former semifinalist has lethal power on grass. Del Potro is a worthy favorite, but we’ll see if this match turns into a larger battle.
Murray’s Quarter:
The defending and two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has struggled at the ATP level this season but he rose up to reach the semis on clay at the French Open, and on a better surface for his game he should presumably be able to survive the early rounds and get himself into form. He’ll start with lucky loser Alexander Bublik, with Dustin Brown/Joao Sousa to follow, Brown can be dangerous but he’s far from consistent. I have Jiri Vesely as Murray’s opponent in round 3, Vesely will face qualifier Illya Marchenko, with Dmitry Tursunov/Fabio Fognini to follow, it’s a weak section on grass Vesely likely has a slight edge before falling to Murray.
Nick Kyrgios has been unfit, but his game is great for grass. He’ll have to get past the serve and volleyer Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and if he does that he should be favored against Benoit Paire/Rogerio Dutra Silva in round 2. I have Lucas Pouille defeating Malek Jaziri and Shapovalov/Janowicz, before falling to Kyrgios in the third round. Pouille has been improving on grass as of late.
I have Kevin Anderson defeating Verdasco, then the recently in-form Andreas Seppi (who opens with Norbert Gombos), Anderson should reach the second week, and I have him doing so against Tommy Haas. After Tomic, Haas will face Wawrinka/Medvedev, and despite his age he remains a threat at Wimbledon.
Despite two career Wimbledon semifinal appearances, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has struggled lately and isn’t a threat this tournament. He’ll open with Cam Norrie, Simone Bolelli or Rendy Lu will follow, and Sam Querrey is his likely third round opponent. Querrey has a game suited for grass, he should defeat Thomas Fabbiano and Carlos Berlocq/Nikoloz Basilashvili to reach the third round. Neither player is in great form, but Tsonga has a higher ceiling so I’ll back him for round 4.
Nadal’s Quarter:
The two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal has struggled on grass in recent years, but his form has come back in a big way this season and he’s worth backing early on against John Millman, Donald Young/Denis Istomin and Karen Khachanov in the third round. Khachanov has shown great form on grass and is rising rapidly in the rankings, the young Russian should defeat his countryman Andrey Kuznetsov, plus Andrew Whittington/Thiago Monteiro before falling to Rafa.
Big servers Ivo Karlovic and Gilles Muller look set for a third round clash, Karlovic opens with Aljaz Bedene, Muller faces Marton Fucsovics, then big hitter Lukas Rosol or Henri Laaksonen. Karlovic faces Damir Dzhumur/Renzo Olivo in round 2, with Muller in great form on grass and having a solid season, he’s a favorite to reach the second week.
After Kohlschreiber, I have Marin Cilic catching fire and defeating Viktor Troicki/Florian Mayer, and Steve Johnson to reach the second week. Johnson opens with dirtballer Nicolas Kicker, then Radu Albot or Facundo Bagnis. Cilic should have too much power for the forehand centric Johnson.
Both Roberto Bautista Agut and Kei Nishikori have made the second week at Wimbledon before, and they look set for a third round clash. RBA opens with Andreas Haider-Maurer, then Marius Copil or Peter Gojowczyk, Nishikori will look to overcome a hip injury against Marco Cecchinato, and then Sergiy Stakhovsky/Julien Benneteau. With fitness a concern for Kei and his somewhat pedestrian play this year, I have RBA reaching the fourth round.
Federer’s Quarter:
A seven-time champion at Wimbledon, Roger Federer won the title in Halle and again finds himself the favorite at his favorite Grand Slam. The legend will begin his journey against erratic shotmaker Alexandr Dolgopolov, then Dusan Lajovic/Stefanos Tsitsipas, I have him facing Mischa Zverev round 3, but Tomic is also an option. Taro Daniel/Mikhail Kukushkin are the other players in this section, I’d be surprised if Federer dropped a set through three matches.
A former Wimbledon semifinalist, Grigor Dimitrov should defeat Diego Schwartzman, James Ward/Marcos Baghdatis, and John Isner to reach week 2. Dimitrov has been up and down this year, but right now seems closer to up than down, and Baghdatis is injured. Isner opens with Taylor Fritz, with Dudi Sela/Marcel Granollers to follow, he’s good enough to win two rounds with his serve but I don’t trust his form this season.
Defending finalist Milos Raonic has been flat in his return from injury, he should serve and volley past J.L. Struff, then defeat Nicolas Mahut/Mikhail Youzhny, and Jordan Thompson in this week section, but he’s another name that is not in good form to challenge for the title. The Aussie Thompson stunned Murray at Queen’s, he faces Albert Ramos, who prefers clay, then Andrey Rublev or Stefano Travaglia.
Young gun Alexander Zverev rebounded from disappointment at Roland Garros to go 6-2 on grass, he should find form this slam against Evgeny Donskoy and Robin Haase/Frances Tiafoe to reach round 3. Jack Sock opens with Christian Garin, Thomaz Bellucci or Sebastian Ofner will follow, and with Sock not playing his best, Zverev should reach round 4.
Djokovic’s Quarter:
Three-time Wimbledon Champion Novak Djokovic just won in Eastbourne on grass and heads into his match with Martin Klizan holding positive momentum. Djokovic should ease past Ernesto Escobedo/Adam Pavlasek in round 2, and then defeat Del Potro in the third round. After Kokkinakis I have Del Potro beating Ernests Gulbis/Victor Estrella in round 2, before succumbing to Djokovic.
Feliciano Lopez will face Antalya Champ Yuichi Sugita or Brydan Klein, presuming Gael Monfils knee is alright he should defeat big hitter Daniel Brands, then Kyle Edmund/Alex Ward in round 2. I have Lopez over Monfils in the third round to reach week 2.
I have Vasek Pospisil making a run to round 4, after Thiem, a struggling Gilles Simon or Nicolas Jarry will be up in round 2, one of Janko Tipsarevic/Jared Donaldson or Horacio Zeballos/Paolo Lorenzi will be up in round 3. Tipsarevic could make the the third round as Donaldson and neither Zeballos/Lorenzi are good on grass, this is a very weak section.
Richard Gasquet is in great form, Gasquet should thump a struggling David Ferrer, Steve Darcis/Ricardas Berankis, and Tomas Berdych. The former Wimbledon semifinalist Gasquet looks to be a real threat to go deep into the tournament. Berdych faces Jeremy Chardy and then Borna Coric or Ryan Harrison, his power should give him an edge.
Dark Horses (one for each section): Kevin Anderson, Gilles Muller, Jordan Thompson, and Vasek Pospisil
Anderson, Muller, and Pospisil have dangerous serves, while Thompson is skilled enough on grass that they all have a chance to rise up and make a big impact despite their non-elite ranking.
Predictions
Round of 16 Murray d. Kyrgios
Anderson d. Tsonga
Nadal d. Muller
Cilic d. Bautista Agut
Zverev d. Raonic
Federer d. Dimitrov
Gasquet d. Pospisil
Djokovic d. Lopez
I have Anderson beating Tsonga based on form, Murray, Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic should be good enough to reach the last 8. Cilic and Zverev should be favorites on form, while Gasquet benefits from a favorable draw.
Quarters Murray d. Anderson
Cilic d. Nadal
Federer d. Zverev
Djokovic d. Gasquet
On grass Nadal remains at a disadvantage, and I’ll go with Cilic in an upset, the other big three should be somewhat safe as Federer just beat Zverev in Halle rather easily in the final.
Semis Murray d. Cilic
Federer d. Djokovic
The defending champion against the best grass court player of all-time is a fitting final, Federer’s form should see him capture a victory.
2017 ATP London Queens Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
It’s one of the biggest ATP tournaments on the calendar up this week, the player and fan favorite Aegon Championships in London. This is the biggest ATP World Tour grass court stop, and here is your complete preview, with predictions.
Aegon Championships
ATP World Tour 500
June 19-25, 2017
London, Great Britain
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: €1,836,660
Top 4 seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Andy Murray (1)
2: Stan Wawrinka (3)
3: Milos Raonic (6)
4: Marin Cilic (8)
London Queen’s is the biggest warmup tournament prior to Wimbledon as most of the top players look to get in at least a couple of matches prior to taking part in a Grand Slam.
First round matches to watch:
(1)Andy Murray vs. Aljaz Bedene
five-time and defending Queen’s club champion Andy Murray shouldn’t have any trouble out of the starting blocks, but Aljaz Bedene is an in-form dark horse who has nothing to lose in this one. Bedene comes off the quarters in Rosmalen and has enough of a game on grass to catch Murray if the Brit struggles with his serve. Murray should win this one in straights, but it’s a good form test for him.
(4)Marin Cilic vs John Isner
The Rosmalen semifinalist Cilic should be safe in this one but Isner is not the easiest round one opponent on grass. Cilic has been in good form as of late, and if Isner can rise up and get an upset that would be huge. Expect at least one tiebreak in this one, with Cilic getting another quality win.
(2)Stan Wawrinka vs. Feliciano Lopez
Wawrinka’s worst surface is Lopez best and that sets up the potential for an upset in this match. Lopez comes off the final in Stuttgart, as he found form on grass already, while the Roland Garros finalist Wawrinka is playing his first match on the surface this year. Wawrinka is the better player, and he won’t back down easily in this one, but Lopez is my upset pick, as his serve and volley should annoy the Swiss into submission.
Top Half:
Murray/Bedene will face Cam Norrie or Sam Querrey in round 2, Querrey is another dangerous player on grass who could catch Murray if the Brit is having a bad day. Presuming Murray makes the quarters, Gilles Muller is his most likely opponent, I have the Rosmalen champion defeating Nikoloz Basilashvili and the winner of Adrian Mannarino/Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga is good on grass, and Mannarino is no slouch either, but Muller’s form is fearsome right now, and if Murray gets to the semis, it won’t be because he had an easy path.4
Nick Kyrgios and Cilic/Isner look set to face off in the other top half quarterfinal, Kyrgios is hoping that grass will bring him better form. The Aussie starts with a struggling Donald Young, and then will face the Viktor Troicki/Janko Tipsarevic winner in that all-Serbian clash. Cilic/Isner will face an American, either Steve Johnson or Stefan Kozlov, in round 2. Johnson is dangerous, but Cilic’s form should be too much, as I have Cilic beating Kyrgios in the quarterfinals.
Bottom Half:
Presuming Lopez upsets Wawrinka, he should have a clear path to the quarters with Tomas Berdych most likely waiting there. Lopez will face either Pierre-Hugues Herbert or Jeremy Chardy in round 2, Kyle Edmund should beat young qualifier Denis Shapovalov before facing Berdych or Steve Darcis. Berdych isn’t in his best form, and thus Lopez is my pick to reach the semifinals.
With Ryan Harrison in poor form, he probably won’t be able to upset Grigor Dimitrov in round 1, Julien Benneteau or James Ward will also be underdogs against the Bulgarian, despite the fact he played poorly in his first grass court outing this year. Milos Raonic should defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis, and then continue to improve his form coming off injury woes this season, defeating either serve and volleyer Nicolas Mahut, or a rapidly improving Daniil Medvedev, who made the quarters in Rosmalen. Raonic is my pick for the semifinals with his powerful serve.
Dark Horse: Feliciano Lopez
I have Lopez reaching the semis and falling to Cilic, but a second straight final on grass would not be out of the question. Lopez just needs to improve a bit on return, and his performances will get even better on grass.
Predictions
Semis Murray d. Cilic
Raonic d. Lopez
After Murray surprised everyone at Roland Garros and reached the semis, it seems foolish to pick against him on grass at the Queen’s club. I don’t count out Cilic and Raonic at all though, and both should be serious challengers at Wimbledon.
Rafael Nadal Dominates All Comers to Claim Tenth Roland Garros Title Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Rafael Nadal moved to #2 in the world by virtue of claiming his tenth title at Roland Garros. The legendary Spaniard showed why he’s the true king of clay over the last two weeks, not dropping a set and finishing off his journey with a thumping 6-2 6-3 6-1 win over an in-form Stan Wawrinka in the final. He dominated the former Roland Garros champion to finish the clay court season with a 24-1 record and four clay titles in the bag a remarkable feat for a player that many had written off after he dealt with some serious injuries in recent years and slipped down the rankings. Two of the games greatest ever players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have now claimed the two slam titles this season and head towards Wimbledon on a potential collision course, with a more neutral surface in New York at the US Open perhaps serving as the trust test of which player will be the season’s best.
Nadal moved well around the court and came up with some brutal shots, defeating Benoit Paire, Robin Haase, Nikoloz Basilashvili, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta, and Dominic Thiem to reach the final. His most challenging opponents on paper, Thiem, who upset Novak Djokovic to make the semifinals without dropping a set, and Wawrinka who didn’t drop a set before knocking off Andy Murray in a five set semifinal battle. Murray performed well to find form and reach the semis yet again, and Wawrinka remains a slam contender, but Rafa entered the tournament as a deserving favorite, and left it as a clear champion. Thiem has been coming into his own recently as well, and the French Open looks to be his best chance to win a Grand Slam.
Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus beat Santiago Gonzalez and Donald Young for the doubles title, The American Harrison rising quickly to become a top men’s doubles player, adding to his already successful 2017 season.
French Open 2017 Men’s Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
The second slam of the season and the pinnacle of the clay court season is upon as Roland Garros starts Sunday. Excluding Roger Federer, the world’s best are taking part in the French Open this year and here is your complete preview with predictions.
Roland Garros
Grand Slam
Paris, France
May 28-June 11, 2017
Surface: Clay
Prize Money: €16,790,000
Top 8 seeds (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Andy Murray (1)
2: Novak Djokovic (2)
3: Stan Wawrinka (3)
4: Rafael Nadal (4)
5: Milos Raonic (6)
6: Dominic Thiem (7)
7: Marin Cilic (8)
8: Kei Nishikori (9)
Roger Federer, who is skipping RG to rest his body, is the only notable absence from the tournament.
First round matches to watch:
(1)Andy Murray vs. Andrey Kuznetsov
Murray starts another slam as the world #1, but he’s had a miserable season thus far, and although he’s never lost to Kuznetsov, he needs to watch out that he doesn’t suffer yet another early tournament defeat. Murray has reached the semis or better for three straight French Open’s, and he reached the final last year, Kuznetsov is 9-4 on clay this Spring and is a steady battler. I don’t think Kuznetsov will have enough in his arsenal to win this given his 2-16 record vs the Top 10, but Murray could slip up.
(29)Juan Martin Del Potro vs. (Q)Guido Pella
Del Potro’s best result this Spring was a quarterfinal in Rome, he’s proven himself to be a dangerous competitor on tour, despite all of the injury problems, and he serves as a bit of a dark horse this tournament. That said, Pella is 12-7 and is a respectable dirt baller, this match should go more than straight sets, and JMDP should be on upset alert.
(9)Alexander Zverev vs. Fernando Verdasco
The veteran Verdasco is in decline, but he’s reached the second week in Paris four times, the last coming in 2014. The young Zverev is 16-3 on clay this year, and with Murray in his section, has a potential path to the final. Germany’s young hope will be a solid favorite and beat Verdasco in Madrid this year, but he can’t get over confident as Verdasco still has the forehand necessary to notch upsets and punish his rivals if he finds his range.
(27)Sam Querrey vs. Hyeon Chung
Querrey is the seed and at 29 he’s developed a respectable clay court game, the 21 year old Chung is a difficult opponent though, he has a semifinal and a quarterfinal on clay this spring and is making his move up the rankings. Chung is a name to watch in the future, and he should find a way to win this one and pull off the upset.
(18)Nick Kyrgios vs. Phlipp Kohlschreiber
The veteran Kohlschreiber has plenty of clay court experience, but he’s just 1-3 since losing the final in Casablanca. Kyrgios has lost two straight and due to personal family reasons his clay court action this year was limited. Kyrgios is the more talented player and can raise his game to a level that Kohlschreiber can no longer reach, but if Kyrgios is off, clay is not his best surface and Kohli could pull an upset.
(31)Gilles Simon vs. Nikoloz Basilashvili
Basilashvili broke through in 2017 and is now a solid tour player, he is coming off the semis in Lyon while Simon carries a disappointing 4-5 record on clay this season. Simon will have home support though, and his grinding wears opponents down in slams. Basilashvili will need to bring his best tennis if he’s going to get the upset.
(23)Ivo Karlovic vs. (Q)Stefanos Tsitsipas
Despite an 0-3 tour record, the 18 year old Tsitsipas came through qualifying and soon enough he’s going to make a bang in a grand slam. Karlovic has just two wins on clay this season and it’s by far his worst surface, the tour veteran is a crafty serve and volleyer, but if the young Greek can survive an early onslaught of big serves, he should be able to notch his first ever tour level win and get a big upset.
Murray’s Quarter
Murray and Del Potro look set to meet in the third round, but Murray needs to watch out for Martin Klizan, who has a couple of clay quarterfinals and opens with wildcard Laurent Lokoli and would face Murray in round 2. Del Potro could be upset by Nicolas Almagro, who has been solid on clay this year and starts his campaign against Marcos Baghdatis, who is poor on the surface. Presuming Murray ups his game for this slam, I see him beating Del Potro and surviving some early tests to reach round 4.
Current Lyon finalist Tomas Berdych should be consistent enough to defeat J.L. Struff, the improving young gun Karen Khachanov (who opens with Nicolas Jarry), and either John Isner or Paolo Lorenzi. Lorenzi will face Ricardas Berankis first up while Rome semifinalist Isner will take on Jordan Thompson, who is poor on clay. Isner will probably edge the dirtballer Lorenzi in a long contest, with Berdych as the clear favorite to make the round of 16.
After taking on Verdasco, Zverev should have an easier go against either Pierre-Hugues Herbert or Jared Donaldson, in round 3 he’ll have a challenging contest against Pablo Cuevas, a semifinalist in Madrid and quarterfinalist in Monte Carlo who is excellent on clay. Cuevas starts his campaign against young qualifier Maxime Hamou, then he’ll face either Nicolas Kicker or Damir Dzumhur. Zverev has more talent than Cuevas, and I’ll make him the favorite in that match.
Look for Chung to try and pull the upset against Kei Nishikori, Asia’s best player. Nishikori hasn’t had a great clay season, but should defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who opens against Radu Albot. Chung faces the Ernesto Escobedo/Denis Istomin winner in round 2. Nishikori, despite his troubles, is still superior to Chung.
Wawrinka’s Quarter
Current Geneva finalist and former Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka is finding form finally after a shaky clay court season. His tournament will begin against qualifier Jozef Kovalik, Wawrinka should then finish off dirtballer Carlos Berlocq, who begins against Alexandr Dolgopolov, who is currently a shell of the player he was. The dangerous Fabio Fognini awaits in round 3, Fognini’s path begins with Frances Tiafoe, an American young gun looking to improve on clay, and then he should face his Italian countryman Andreas Seppi, presuming Seppi defeats veteran Santiago Giraldo. Fognini could peak and knock off Wawrinka, but Wawrinka is a more consistent player and will be the favorite to reach round 4.
Richard Gasquet is just 1-2 on clay this year, and should watch out against qualifier Arthur De Greef. The home hero looks set to clash with fellow fan favorite Gael Monfils in round 3 though, Monfils needs to defeat Dustin Brown and either Thiago Monteiro or French wild card Alexandre Muller. Gasquet’s round 2 opponent will be either Victor Estrella or Teymuraz Gabashvili, both veterans. I have Gasquet as a slight favorite against Monfils, although both players are struggling.
Current Lyon finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had been struggling, but Tsonga, the best French hope this tournament, looks to have found form and should defeat Renzo Olivo, and either Gastao Elias or Kyle Edmund before running into Kyrgios/Kevin Anderson round 3. After Kohlschreiber, Kyrgios looks set to face big server Kevin Anderson, as Anderson should defeat Malek Jaziri. I have Anderson, who has been consistent on clay this spring, upsetting Kyrgios, and then Tsonga through to the round of 16.
Istanbul champion Marin Cilic will face Ernest Gulbis, a struggling and fallen ATP star, Federico Delbonis or Konstantin Kravchuk will follow. David Ferrer, who is also struggling, should get past Donald Young, given Ferrer is better on clay, and the winner of Feliciano Lopez/Bjorn Frantagelo. This is a weak section though and Cilic should ease into round 4.
Nadal’s Quarter
Rafael Nadal, My Top SportsBook’s favorite to reclaim the French Open Title for a record tenth time, Nadal has three clay titles in hand from this spring and starts his tournament against Frenchman Benoit Paire. Paire’s form doesn’t suggest he can defeat Rafa, Robin Haase/Alex De Minaur also don’t look to be that imposing, and the winner of Viktor Troicki/Gilles Simon will probably be Nadal’s first serious test. I have Troicki defeating Evgeny Donskoy, and then Simon/Basilashvili to reach the third round. Nadal should win his first three without dropping a set.
Roberto Bautista Agut, a solid clay courter, looks set to make round 3, John Millman, and the winner of Mikhail Kukushkin/Tennys Sandgren are the only players in his path, Sandgren is rising quickly but he’s not great on clay, RBA should beat Millman and Kukushkin to setup a third round meeting with Jack Sock. Sock should beat the steady Jiri Vesely, then Aljaz Bedene/Ryan Harrison, although Bedene is a dangerous dark horse after catching fire a few weeks ago and reaching the final in Budapest. I have Sock powering past Bautista Agut for a spot in round 4.
Grigor Dimitrov has been in terrible form, he should still defeat a fading Stephane Robert and neither Tommy Robredo or Dan Evans are in good form, Taro Daniel should defeat Jerzy Janowicz before falling to Pablo Carreno Busta. PCB’s path to the fourth round goes through a struggling Florian Mayer, Daniel, and Dimitrov, a reasonable path for the Estoril champion.
Steve Darcis is at a career high ranking, but Milos Raonic looks to be in good enough form to win their round 1 clash and then defeat Rogerio Dutra Silva or Mikhail Youzhny. Gilles Muller has had his best ever clay court season, and that should help him defeat a struggling Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and Marco Trungelliti/Quentin Halys in round 2. Raonic is a clear favorite to reach round 4.
Djokovic’s Quarter
Lacking a clay title this season, but working with new coach Andre Agassi, Novak Djokovic will start his French Open title defense against Marcel Granollers. The veteran Granollers is a poor singles player these days, Joao Sousa has been terrible this season, and Janko Tipsarevic may not be fit. Djokovic should ease into the third round against either current Geneva finalist Mischa Zverev or Diego Schwartzman. Schwartzman will take on Andrey Rublev first up, while Zverev takes on qualifier Stefano Napolitano. Schwartzman should reach the third round on clay but is no match for Djokovic.
Although he started the clay season well, Monte Carlo finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas is yet another struggling dirtballer in this draw. Ramos should defeat Marius Copil though, with Daniil Medvedev’s poor form likely limiting him to a defeat at the hands of Ramos after beating 20 year old wild card Benjamin Bonzi, who is making his slam debut. This is Budapest champion Lucas Pouille‘s section to lose, Pouille should have the edge against veteran Julien Benneteau, then the Frenchman should defeat Thomaz Bellucci, who begins against Dusan Lajovic. Pouille over Ramos is my pick for round 3.
The consistent David Goffin looks set to defeat qualifier Paul-Henri Mathieu, then dispatch either Sergiy Stakhovsky or Rendy Lu before running into Tsitsipas/Karlovic or Horacio Zeballos/Adrian Mannarino. Zeballos is solid on clay and thus the best bet to reach the third round before falling to Goffin.
Dominic Thiem has two finals and a semifinal this spring on clay, he’s in tremendous form and should defeat Bernard Tomic, who is poor on clay, qualifier Simone Bolelli or Nicolas Mahut, and then most likely Borna Coric, who should defeat Mathias Bourgue, and the winner of Steve Johnson/Yuichi Sugita to reach round 3. Look for Thiem to defeat the young Coric to reach the second week.
Dark Horses: Hyeon Chung, Kevin Anderson, Aljaz Bedene, and Horacio Zeballos
Chung has a nice shot at upsetting Nishikori, Anderson could upset Tsonga and make an unexpected run. Bedene could upset Sock and Bautista Agut, and Zeballos could emerge from the Goffin/Thiem section, although it’s unlikely.
Predictions
Round of 16 Murray d. Berdych
Zverev d. Nishikori
Wawrinka d. Gasquet
Tsonga d. Cilic
Carreno Busta d. Raonic
Nadal d. Sock
Thiem d. Goffin
Djokovic d. Pouille
Murray, Wawrinka, Nadal, and Djokovic, the steady warhorses of this draw should prevail, with only Murray having the chance of getting upset this early. The young Zverev and Thiem should make their moves, despite facing challenging opposition, Tsonga should nip Cilic to be the last French man standing, and I have Carreno Busta upsetting Raonic.
Quarters Zverev d. Murray
Wawrinka d. Tsonga
Nadal d. Carreno Busta
Djokovic d. Thiem
A battle of contrasts in form, I have Zverev upsetting Murray given how good of a clay court season he’s had. Wawrinka, Nadal, and Djokovic remain favorites, although Novak should watch out against Thiem.
Semis Zverev d. Wawrinka
Nadal d. Djokovic
I’ll pick Rafa to take home the title, but I have Zverev as a surprise finalist. Wawrinka has not been that impressive this clay court season, and Nadal should have an edge over Djokovic on clay.
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