Tennis Atlantic 2015 ATP Draw Challenge Week 8 (Acapulco, Dubai, Buenos Aires)
Staff, Tennis Atlantic

Two 500 pointers are at stake with Acapulco and Dubai, while 250 points can be gained from the clay court tournament in Buenos Aires, as a vast majority of the ATP World Tour’s stars are in action this week.

Acapulco (draw)

2015 Abierto Mexicano Telcel Picks

Steen Kirby’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nishikori vs. Estrella, Haase vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Johnson, Troicki vs. Giraldo, Gabashvili vs. Kokkinakis, Young vs. Dimitrov, Becker vs. Tomic, Granollers vs. Ferrer
Quarterfinals: Nishikori vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Troicki, Kokkinakis vs. Dimitrov, Tomic vs. Ferrer
Semifinals: Nishikori vs. Anderson, Dimitrov vs. Ferrer
Final: Nishikori vs. Dimitrov
Champion: Nishikori

Courtney Massey’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nishikori vs. Estrella, Haider-Maurer vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Johnson, Troicki vs. Qualifier, Karlovic vs. Kokkinakis, Young vs. Dimitrov, Becker vs. Tomic, Matosevic vs. Ferrer
Quarterfinals: Nishikori vs. Haider-Maurer, Anderson vs. Troicki, Karlovic vs. Dimitrov, Becker vs. Ferrer
Semifinals: Haider-Maurer vs. Troicki, Dimitrov vs. Ferrer
Final: Haider-Maurer vs. Ferrer
Champion: Ferrer

Chris de Waard’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nishikori vs. Lu, Haider-Maurer vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Johnson, Troicki vs. Giraldo, Karlovic vs. Kokkinakis, Young vs. Dimitrov, Kamke vs. Tomic, Granollers vs. Ferrer
Quarterfinals: Nishikori vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Troicki, Karlovic vs. Dimitrov, Tomic vs. Ferrer
Semifinals: Nishikori vs. Troicki, Dimitrov vs. Ferrer
Final: Nishikori vs. Ferrer
Champion: Nishikori

Jeff McMillan’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nishikori vs. Lu, Haider-Maurer vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Johnson, Troicki vs. Giraldo, Karlovic vs. Kokkinakis, Young vs. Dimitrov, Kamke vs. Tomic, Matosevic vs. Ferrer
Quarterfinals: Nishikori vs. Dolgopolov, Johnson vs. Troicki, Karlovic vs. Dimitrov, Tomic vs. Ferrer
Semifinals: Nishikori vs. Johnson, Dimitrov vs. Ferrer
Final: Nishikori vs. Dimitrov
Champion: Nishikori

Niall Clarke’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nishikori vs. Lu, Haider-Maurer vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Johnson, Troicki vs. Giraldo, Karlovic vs. Kokkinakis, Young vs. Dimitrov, Becker vs. Mannarino, Granollers vs. Ferrer
Quarterfinals: Nishikori vs. Dolgopolov, Anderson vs. Troicki, Karlovic vs. Dimitrov, Mannarino vs. Ferrer
Semifinals: Nishikori vs. Anderson, Karlovic vs. Ferrer
Final: Nishikori vs. Ferrer
Champion: Nishikori

Opinions are mixed on how David Ferrer will fare coming off his Rio title, but Kei Nishikori is the consensus pick to win his second ATP title of the year, while defending champ Grigor Dimitrov is predicted to come up just short by most of our analysts.

Dubai (draw)

2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Picks

Steen Kirby’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Djokovic vs. Golubev, Zverev vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Bolelli, Stakhovsky vs. Istomin, Baghdatis vs. Kohlschreiber, Sousa vs. Murray, Bautista Agut vs. Gasquet, Garcia-Lopez vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Stakhovsky, Baghdatis vs. Murray, Gasquet vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Berdych, Murray vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Federer
Champion:  Djokovic

Courtney Massey’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Djokovic vs. Martin, Ilhan vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Bolelli, Stakhovsky vs. Gulbis, Baghdatis vs. Kohlschreiber, McGee vs. Murray, Bautista Agut vs. Seppi, Verdasco vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Stakhovsky, Baghdatis vs. Murray, Seppi vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Berdych, Murray vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Federer
Champion:  Federer

Chris de Waard’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Djokovic vs. Martin, Ilhan vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Bolelli, Stakhovsky vs. Gulbis, Goffin vs. Kohlschreiber, Sousa vs. Murray, Bautista Agut vs. Gasquet, Garcia-Lopez vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Stakhovsky, Goffin vs. Murray, Gasquet vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Berdych, Murray vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Murray
Champion:  Djokovic

Jeff McMillan’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Djokovic vs. Golubev, Ilhan vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Bolelli, Rosol vs. Gulbis, Goffin vs. Kohlschreiber, Sousa vs. Murray, Bautista Agut vs. Seppi, Verdasco vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Gulbis, Goffin vs. Murray, Seppi vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Berdych, Murray vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Murray
Champion:  Murray

Niall Clarke’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Djokovic vs. Golubev, Zverev vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Bolelli, Stakhovsky vs. Istomin, Goffin vs. Kohlschreiber, Sousa vs. Murray, Bautista Agut vs. Gasquet, Garcia-Lopez vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Lopez, Berdych vs. Istomin, Goffin vs. Murray, Gasquet vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Berdych, Murray vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Federer
Champion:  Federer

2 people have Fed as champ, 2  people have Novak as champ, and everyone has the same semifinal pairings this week, in a draw that is expected to remain true to form late into the tournament.

Buenos Aires (draw)

2015 Argentina Open Picks

Steen Kirby’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nadal vs. Montanes, Bellucci vs. Delbonis, Fognini vs. Berlocq, Qualifier vs. Vesely, Mayer vs. Monaco, Qualifier vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Ramos, Olivo vs. Robredo
Quarterfinals: Nadal vs. Delbonis, Fognini vs. Vesely, Monaco vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Olivo
Semifinals: Nadal vs. Vesely, Cuevas vs. Almagro
Final: Nadal vs. Cuevas
Champion:  Nadal

Courtney Massey’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nadal vs. Qualifier, Lorenzi vs. Delbonis, Fognini vs. Schwartzman, Qualifier vs. Vesely, Mayer vs. Monaco, Qualifier vs. Cuevas, Andujar vs. Zeballos, Nieminen vs. Robredo
Quarterfinals: Nadal vs. Lorenzi, Fognini vs. Vesely, Mayer vs. Qualifier, Andujar vs. Nieminen
Semifinals: Nadal vs. Fognini, Mayer vs. Nieminen
Final: Nadal vs. Mayer
Champion:  Nadal

Chris de Waard’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nadal vs. Qualifier, Bellucci vs. Carreno-Busta, Fognini vs. Schwartzman, Qualifier vs. Vesely, Mayer vs. Monaco, Andreozzi vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Ramos, Olivo vs. Robredo
Quarterfinals: Nadal vs. Carreno Busta, Fognini vs. Vesely, Monaco vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Olivo
Semifinals: Nadal vs. Fognini, Cuevas vs. Almagro
Final: Nadal vs. Cuevas
Champion:  Nadal

Jeff McMillan’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nadal vs. Qualifier, Bellucci vs. Delbonis, Fognini vs. Berlocq, Qualifier vs. Rola, Mayer vs. Gonzalez, Qualifier vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Zeballos, Nieminen vs. Robredo
Quarterfinals: Nadal vs. Bellucci, Fognini vs. Qualifier, Mayer vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Robredo
Semifinals: Nadal vs. Fognini, Cuevas vs. Robredo
Final: Nadal vs. Cuevas
Champion:  Nadal

Niall Clarke’s predictions

Round 2 Matches: Nadal vs. Montanes, Bellucci vs. Delbonis, Fognini vs. Berlocq, Qualifier vs. Vesely, Mayer vs. Monaco, Qualifier vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Zeballos, Nieminen vs. Robredo
Quarterfinals: Nadal vs. Delbonis, Berlocq vs. Vesely, Monaco vs. Cuevas, Almagro vs. Robredo
Semifinals: Nadal vs. Berlocq, Monaco vs. Almagro
Final: Nadal vs. Monaco
Champion:  Nadal

Nobody appears to be comfortable picking against Nadal on clay, with Pablo Cuevas a favorite for the final.

Week 7 standings

Rio
1: Jeff (100 points) (+500 points overall)
2: Chris (82 points) (+300 points)
3: Steen (62 points) (+180 points)
4: Niall (62 points) (+180 points)
5: Courtney (46 points) (+90 points)

The two players with Ferrer as champion finished one and two, and Jeff had Fognini going deeper in the tournament, giving him an edge.

Marseille
1: Niall (118 points) (+250 points)
2: Jeff (110 points) (+150 points)
3: Chris (78 points) (+90 points)
4: Steen (68 points) (+90 points)
5: Courtney (56 points) (+45 points)

Niall and Jeff both correctly predicted Simon as champion, and a Monfils vs. Simon final, kudos to them as they led the pack this week.

Delray
1: Courtney (84 points)  (+250 points)
2: Jeff (46 points) (+150 points)
3: Niall (32 points) (+90 points)
4: Chris (28 points) (+90 points)
5: Steen (24 points) (+45 points)

Courtney blew the rest of the field out of the water this week in Delray, taking the title as her favorite Ernests Gulbis has before, she was the only one to correctly predict Ivo Karlovic as champion.

Overall standings (after week 7)

1: Steen: 4110 ranking points (+315 points overall)
2:  Jeff: 3000 points (+800 points overall)
3: Courtney: 2800 points (+385 points overall)
4: Chris: 2750 points (+480 points overall)
5: Niall: 2370 points (+520 points overall)

Jeff makes a big move this week, rising from 4th to second with a tremendous 800 point gain, Courtney won an event but actually dropped one spot into third, while Niall remains bringing up the rear.