Max Marterer

Stan Wawrinka Continues Comeback Tour at ATP Marseille 2018
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The 250 indoor hard court stop in Marseille continues the ATP World Tour’s early year tournaments in Europe. Here is your full preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Roberto Bautista Agut and Karen Khachanov are heavy favorites to reach the quarters from the first section. RBA faces Malek Jaziri/Julien Benneteau, while Khachanov drew a qualifier and Mischa Zverev/Blaz Kavcic. RBA at his best should ease into the semis.

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Tomas Berdych was unwell in Rotterdam but he could have a great week in Marseille. He’ll open with Hugo Gaston or a qualifier. Damir Dzumhur should beat Mikhail Kukushkin and Felix Auger-Aliassime/Thomas Fabbiano to reach the quarters opposite Berdych. Berdych is my pick for the semis. Rising young star Auger-Aliassime could rise up though.

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Bottom Half:

Stan Wawrinka has struggled with is movement upon returning to the ATP Tour. He should beat Laslo Djere/qualifier to reach the quarters, but at that stage, I’ll back Daniil Medvedev to defeat him. The rising young Russian opens as the favorite against seed Gilles Muller, Stefanos Tsitsipas/Nicolas Mahut awaits in round 2. The winner of Medvedev/Tsitsipas has a great chance to reach the semis, and I’ll go with Medvedev to get the result.

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Max Marterer has started 2018 in great form. On the back of a challenger title I’ll go with the German to upset home hero Gilles Simon in the opening round. Filip Krajinovic/Joao Sousa await. I’ll go with Marterer to reach the quarters opposite Lucas Pouille, the champion of Montpellier. Pouille over Marterer is my pick at that stage.

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Predictions

Semis
Bautista Agut d. Berdych
Medvedev d. Pouille

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It should be a good week for RBA and Pouille. Medvedev could take the title, but I’ll go with the steady Spaniard as my pick this week.

Final
Bautista Agut d. Medvedev

Stan Wawrinka The Star at ATP Sofia 2018
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

Here is your look at the 2018 Diema Xtra Sofia Open, an ATP 250 indoor hard court tournament in Bulgaria, one of the few ATP tour stops in Eastern Europe.

Top Half

Despite struggling on his return to the tour from injury in Melbourne, Stan Wawrinka is very much the man in Sofia. Wawrinka, presuming he’s fit, should be able to fire past wild card Alexander Donski or a qualifier, and then Denis Istomin/Viktor Troicki in the quarters (wild card Adrian Andreev and a qualifier are also options).

Max Marterer reached the third round in Melbourne, Malek Jaziri and Joao Sousa/Dimitar Kuzmanov isn’t the easiest path, but I’ll still back him to reach the quarters opposite his countryman Philipp Kohlschreiber. Kohli takes on Sergiy Stakhovsky or a qualifier in round 2 after struggling to start the season. Marterer over Kohlschreiber is my upset pick for the tournament.

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Bottom Half

A couple of Davis Cup participants could reprise their matchup in the semifinals if things go according to plan. Adrian Mannarino takes on Marcos Baghdatis or Mikhail Kukushkin, who also played DC this weekend. From there he would face either Evgeny Donskoy or Lukas Lacko in the quarters. I have Lacko beating Donskoy and Radu Albot/qualifier before falling to Mannarino.

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Robin Haase fell to Mannarino in the Davis Cup on the weekend, he faces Marius Copil, Blaz Kavcic/Laslo Djere will follow. He should reach the quarters but I’ll back Gilles Muller to beat Andreas Seppi/Mikhail Youzhny and Haase to reach the semis.

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Predictions

Semis
Wawrinka d. Marterer
Muller d. Mannarino

Muller has a great shot to take the title, but Wawrinka is the best player in the field, even at 80% of his abilities. Presuming he’s gotten enough practice in since losing in Melbourne, Wawrinka is the favorite.

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Final
Wawrinka d. Muller

All Eyes on @CincyTennis As Main Draw Begins

Posted by Admin on August 14, 2017

Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open. Tagged: 2017, America, ATP Tennis, cincinnati, J.P. Smith, John Isner, Max Marterer, qualifying, Ryan Harrison, taylor townsend, usa, Western & Southern Open, WTA Tour. Leave a comment

Tennis Road Show Back to Cincinnati
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

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It’s hard to believe it’s already late summer and the tennis road show moved to Ohio for a big build-up to the US Open. With so many engaging story lines on both sides of the sport, the Western & Southern Open will likely set the table for the end-of-year narrative.

While most of the tennis world was witnessing the breakout weekend in Toronto for Sascha Zverev, there were packed stands for qualifying matches in Ohio, including a girl who cried because she didn’t get an autograph from Magdalena Rybarikova. I thought, “It’ll get better.” It can always get better than getting snubbed by Rybarikova for an autograph.

This is the greatest tennis place in America. Not the greatest tennis space like Indian Wells, but the greatest tennis place. A place where Americans root for Americans and where they never say John Eisner. Media Director Pete Holtermann says it best when he tells me that there are 9 states within a 250 mile radius of the event. It’s the Midwestern Open.

38 matches on a single day like last Saturday is Slam-like, if not Slam-lite. It is nearly impossible to cover all of the courts and all of the matches at a big tourney footprint like the Western & Southern Open. You pick what looks good and you plan to stay in that area of the facility. It’s progressively bigger in my usual route of Newport, D.C., Cincinnati and the US Open.

In fact, it’s the perfect warm-up to the US Open. Who knew? Oh, wait.

Sunday’s 19 matches felt relaxing by comparison. Qualifying concluded with the 19 winners, 7 men and 12 women who jump into main draw play today. They were beaten to the first round by Ryan Harrison, Gilles Muller, John Isner and Vik Troicki, who kicked off their first round matches yesterday.

Harrison fought hard in a three set loss to Muller and he heard that American fanbase he says is so sorely needed. They cheered for him through the ups and the downs, but the American wilted in the thrid set tiebreak to advance Muller to the second round with a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(3) win.

The fans were then served a less dramatic match but got to cheer on another fellow countryman when John Isner eased past Troicki, 7-6(3), 6-4.

Maximilian Marterer of Germany advanced in straight sets yesterday to his first career main draw of a 1000 level event. He was so excited he could barely contain his glee as he rode off on the golf cart he had to share with his opponent, Ramkumar Ramanathan. Ramanathan looked dazed as a man who had lost two consecutive tie breaks despite the fans overwhelming support on Court 4. Marterer rides into the first round against American Frances Tiafoe later today.

J.P. Smith is almost an American to these fans and it showed at the end of his match yesterday. Despite cheering for Christian Harrison throughout the match, their applause turned to the former University of Tennessee alum as he prepared to serve out the 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win. Fans flocked to him for photos as he soaked up a memorable weekend on the outer courts.

Taylor Townsend, Western & Southern Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

Taylor Townsend gave many plenty to smile about with her comeback win. After losing the first set in a tiebreak to Carina Witthoeft on Center Court, she stormed back to win out 7-5, 6-1. More adulation by the crowd was in store for Townsend as she was mobbed by well-wishers. Monica Puig is next in store for Townsend later this afternoon on Court 10.