Pablo Carreno-Busta

All posts tagged Pablo Carreno-Busta

Auckland Raised Cam Norrie Seeking @asb_classic 2019 Title

Posted by Admin on January 9, 2019
Posted in: ATP, Auckland, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Auckland Raised Cam Norrie Seeking 2019 ATP Auckland Title
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

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The 250 in Auckland is New Zealand’s only ATP event, it’s preceded by the WTA ASB Classic at the same venue. with both tournaments serving as prep for the Australian Open. With the early rounds complete, who will prevail in the final?

Quarterfinals

Taylor Fritz vs Cam Norrie

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The young American Fritz battles the Auckland raised Brit Norrie in a big match for both players. Fritz has knocked off two big servers, Marius Copil and compatriot John Isner (the top seed) to reach the quarters. Norrie upset Benoit Paire and Joao Sousa to reach this point. Norrie will have home support, but Fritz should be slightly favored if his game can stay consistent.

Pablo Carreno Busta vs JL Struff

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Both players had easy paths to this point, PCB got a walkover against David Ferrer, while Struff beat Laslo Djere with a retirement and then Jose Statham, who had upset Hyeon Chung in the previous round. PCB is the better player and should be in good shape to advance from this match.

Leonardo Mayer vs Tennys Sandgren

Both players needed to find form and will be pleased with their results thus far. Mayer upset Steve Johnson and Matteo Berrettini, while Sandgren defeated Max Marterer and Marco Cecchinato. This should be a competitive match, with the experienced Mayer a slight favorite.

Philipp Kohlschreiber vs Fabio Fognini

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Two skilled veterans, Kohli hasn’t dropped a set in wins against Bradley Klahn and Ugo Humbert, and he dominates the h2h against the Italian. Fognini barely beat Peter Gojowczyk, and I expect Kohlschreiber to reach the semis from this matchup.

Semis
Carreno Busta d. Fritz
Kohlschreiber d. Mayer

This is PCB’s tournament to lose, Kohlschreiber has great history in Auckland though and is also favored to reach the final.

Final
Carreno Busta d. Kohlschreiber

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American Contingent Including Sam Querrey Highlight @WSOpen ATP 250

Posted by Admin on August 20, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Steen Kirby, Winston-Salem Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

American Contingent Including Sam Querrey Highlight ATP Winston-Salem 250
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP Winston-Salem 250 is the final tune up before the US Open for a varied contingent of mid-level to fringe ATP players. Here is your look at all the action under the North Carolina sun.

Top Half:

Marton Fucsovics should be a strong favorite against Guido Andreozzi and Radu Albot in rounds 1 and 2. Daniil Medvedev vs. Alex De Minaur looks like an exciting matchup. The DC finalist De Minaur should be a slight favorite against the young Russian who already defeated Mirza Basic in round 1. De Minaur should emerge from the section as a quarterfinalist.

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Ryan Harrison should run past wild card Borna Gojo, and then struggling veteran Gilles Simon. Harrison is good enough on American hard courts he could have a great run here. Taylor Fritz should emerge to face Harrison in round 3, Fritz needs to get past Malek Jaziri and Filip Krajinovic, both of whom are struggling. Harrison should reach the quarters.

Jan-Lennard Struff is in good form after beating Benoit Paire round 1, he should beat Marco Cecchinato to reach round 3 while Andreas Seppi will be favored in the section after beating Joao Sousa, with Nicolas Jarry on deck.

Sam Querrey should be the 4th quarterfinalist. neither Taro Daniel/John Millman in round 2 are in great form, and the rest of the section is weak. Damir Dzumhur/Tennys Sandgren will face off in round 2 presuming Sandgren defeats a slumping Ricardas Berankis. The winner in that matchup should fall to Querrey in round 3.

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Bottom Half:

Pablo Carreno Busta is a potential champion, PCB should roll past Pierre-Hugues Herbert or Franko Skugor, with Peter Gojowczyk likely in round 3. Both Lukas Lacko and Horacio Zeballos are struggling. PCB will reach the quarters and should go further.

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This is perhaps Hyeon Chung‘s moment to shine post-injury, Chung hasn’t had a significant result since his return to tour but a draw featuring Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in round 2 (GGL defeated Marcos Baghdatis), and most likely Nikoloz Basilashvili or Matteo Berrettini in round 3 looks to be easy enough to reach the quarters. I’ll back Berrettini past Julien Benneteau and Basilashvili, with Chung reaching the quarters.

Leonardo Mayer‘s good form suggests he’s well positioned to upset Kyle Edmund and then defeat Albert Ramos or Roberto Carballes Baena after RCB defeated Guido Pella in round 1. Mayer looks like a dark horse this week and should reach the quarters.

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I have qualifier Tommy Paul defeating Laslo Djere, while Steve Johnson is looking to find form and should reach round 3. Andrey Rublev has struggled since playing well in Washington, Rublev should defeat Jaume Munar/Brayden Schnur in round 2, and I’ll back Johnson past Rublev on home soil to reach the quarters.

Predictions

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Quarters
Harrison d. De Minaur
Querrey d. Seppi
Carreno Busta d. Chung
Mayer d. Johnson

I’ll back Americans to do relatively well in Winston-Salem while Carreno Busta and Mayer should ride a streak of form.

Semis
Querrey d. Harrison
Carreno Busta d. Mayer

Carreno Busta should be the favorite to lift the trophy ahead of the US Open.

Final
Carreno Busta d. Querrey

ATP Hamburg 500 Favorites are Dominic Thiem, Diego Schwartzman, and Marco Cecchinato @Am_Rothenbaum

Posted by Admin on July 22, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Hamburg, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

ATP Hamburg 500 Favorites are Dominic Thiem, Diego Schwartzman, and Marco Cecchinato
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP Hamburg 500 is the final 500 level on clay for the season. Some of the ATP’s best descend upon Germany for a week of battles on the clay. Here is your preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Dominic Thiem is the top seed and he’ll begin his quest for the title against Corentin Moutet. Moutet is no pushover on clay but Thiem should be renewed after a poor Wimbledon. Thiem should also be favored against John Millman or J.L. Struff in the second round. Bastad finalist Richard Gasquet should defeat Benoit Paire and Nicolas Jarry or Peter Gojowczyk to setup the quarterfinal matchup with Thiem as the favorite.

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Pablo Carreno Busta is a good clay court player and should get past Florian Myer and Aljaz Bedene/Henri Laaksonen to reach the quarters. Phillip Kohlschreiber should get past Nikoloz Basilashvili and Marton Fucsovics/Pablo Cuevas to reach the quarters as well, where his run at home should end at the hands of PCB.

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Bottom Half:

I have Diego Schwartzman falling in an upset against Casper Ruud, Ruud reached the quarters of Bastad and other than a nice run at Roland Garros, DSS has nod had the best of seasons. Ruud should beat Daniel Masur or Max Marterer in the second round. A finalist in Umag, Marco Cecchinato will be tested by Gael Monfils. GIven the fatigue factor I’ll back Monfils to beat the Italian and also Leonardo Mayer/Albert Ramos to reach the quarters, where he should be favored over Ruud.

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Look for qualifier Jozef Kovalik to have a good week, Kovalik will open with Damir Dzumhur, who isn’t at his best right now. David Ferrer or Rudolf Molleker will be next, both players are struggling and thus the in-form Kovalik has the inside track. Gilles Simon should defeat Thiago Monteiro but the Fernando Verdasco/Dusan Lajovic winner has the edge in this section, and I have the Bastad semifinalist Verdasco reaching the semis in Hamburg.

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Predictions

Semis
Thiem d. Carreno Busta
Monfils d. Verdasco

The tour veterans Monfils and Verdasco should face off in the semis, while Thiem has the inside track to lift the trophy at the end of the tournament.

Final
Thiem d. Monfils

Five Spaniards Including Pablo Carreno Busta and David Ferrer Invade @Swedish_Open

Posted by Admin on July 15, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Bastad, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Five Spaniards Including Pablo Carreno Busta and David Ferrer Invade ATP Bastad
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The SkiStar Swedish Open is an ATP 250 on clay in Bastad, Sweden. A host of accomplished clay courters will take to the court, and here is your look at the action to come.

Top Half:

Diego Schwartzman should win this section over Roberto Carballes Baena/qualifier, and then the winner of Matteo Berrettini/Leonardo Mayer. I’ll back the rising Berrettini to post a good result, upsetting Mayer and then Gastao Elias/qualifier.

With Jaume Munar in good form, I’ll back him to upset Casper Ruud in round 1 in a battle of the wild cards, and then I have David Ferrer falling to his younger countryman Munar in the second round. Richard Gasquet should beat Gerald Melzer/qualifier, then Munar/Ruud to win this section.

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Bottom Half:

Pablo Carreno Busta is solid enough on clay to suggest he’ll defeat Thiago Monteiro/Elias Ymer in his opening match before facing off with fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the quarters. Verdasco opens with Lorenzo Sonego, Radu Albot/Pedro Sousa will follow. Carreno Busta over Verdasco is the sensible choice for this quarter.

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John Millman should get past Guido Andreozzi and Horacio Zeballos or Federico Delbonis. Fabio Fognini is the best player in this section and a potential champion though. Presuming the Italian is focused he should ease past Denis Istomin/Mikael Ymer, and then Millman to reach the semis.

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Predictions

Semis
Schwartzman d. Gasquet
Fognini d. Carreno Busta

I’ll go with the veteran Fognini as my champion this week in Bastad, there are a host of accomplished clay courters who could catch fire and win this thing, but Fognini seems due to make a run.

Final
Fognini d. Schwartzman

Joao Sousa Becomes Second Ever Portugese Finalist in Estoril

Posted by Admin on May 5, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Estoril, Guest Writer, On Site. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Joao Sousa Becomes Second Ever Portugese Finalist in Estoril
Manuel Traquete for Tennis Atlantic

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It was a day of upsets in Estoril as home crowd favorite João Sousa and emerging American Frances Tiafoe made their way into the final of the Estoril Open, knocking out Stefanos Tsitsipas and last year’s champion Pablo Carreno Busta.

The first semifinal was the one everyone in Estoril was eagerly awaiting and it certainly didn’t disappoint. After a titanic two hour tussle, João Sousa defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 3rd set tiebreak to book his 1st ever final at his home tournament, making it the second time a Portuguese player reaches that stage in Estoril after Frederico Gil in 2010 (lost to Montanes). Tsitsipas breadsticked the Portuguese in the second set, but he visibly ran out of gas in the third set after all the tennis he’s been playing lately and the home crowd pushed Sousa past the finish line.

The second semifinal saw a relatively empty court, with a lot of people having left after the emotional high of Sousa’s win. Tiafoe didn’t let that bother him at all though and produced an incredible performance to easily dispatch Carreno Busta. The American didn’t face a single break point and applied pressure in basically every return game, hitting one great winner after another to reach his first ever ATP final on clay. Carreno Busta’s famed consistency was just no match to the brilliance of Tiafoe on the day.

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Going into the final, it’s hard to predict a winner. If he repeats today’s performance, Tiafoe will definitely be lifting the trophy, but it will be a completely different situation with a boisterous home crowd spurring on Sousa on his quest to become the first ever Portuguese winner in Portugal’s only ATP 250 event.  It’s certainly a very intriguing matchup to wrap up this year’s edition of the tournament, especially considering the overall lack of strength of the field. It could very well turn out to be a historic day for Portuguese tennis if Sousa manages to pull yet another win.

Tsitsipas, Carreno Busta, Carballes Baena, and Jarry Reach Estoril Quarterfinals

Posted by Admin on May 3, 2018
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Tsitsipas, Carreno Busta, Carballes Baena, and Jarry Reach Estoril Quarterfinals
Manuel Traquete for Tennis Atlantic

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Thursday at the Estoril Open saw the quarterfinal lineup be completed, with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Carballes Baena and Nicolas Jarry booking their place in the last 8. The first match of the day pitted Cameron Norrie and Carballes Baena, with the Spaniard winning a titanic battle that lasted well over 3 hours in the 3rd set tiebreak. Norrie had plenty of chances to win the match, including serving for the match and 3 consecutive match points on Baena’s serve, but he couldn’t finish it off and the Spaniard that will face off against the ever rising Tsitsipas tomorrow.

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Tsitsipas continued his fantastic clay run with another top 10 win, this time over Kevin Anderson. While Anderson is hardly top 10-level on this surface, it’s still another impressive win for the Greek youngster after making the final last week in Barcelona. Tsitsipas wasn’t broken at all in this match.

The night session featured two straight set matches, first a quite straightforward win for last year’s champion Carreno Busta over Kicker and then a real tussle between Jarry and Ojeda. Jarry won in 2 sets, but he had to come back from 1-5 down in the second set tiebreak to get it done in what was a very tight contest for the most part. Carreno Busta and Jarry will face each other in the quarterfinals, with the Spaniard emerging as a clear favorite.

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Going into the quarterfinals on Friday, a lot of Portuguese fans are hopeful of finally having a Portuguese champion at the tournament after Frederico Gil barely missed out on the chance back in 2010. João Sousa is still alive (somehow given how close he was to losing to Pedro Sousa) and looking at the draw he seems to have as good a chance as anyone to win it all. His match against Kyle Edmund, semifinalist in Australia, will no doubt be the most eagerly awaited one at Estoril tomorrow for the home fans.

The remaining quarterfinal will be played between Tiafoe and Bolelli, with Tiafoe the favorite, in what will on paper be a very evenly matched contest.

2018 @EstorilOpen features Stefanos Tsitsipas, Kyle Edmund and More!

Posted by Admin on April 29, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Estoril, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2018 Estoril Open features Stefanos Tsitsipas, Kyle Edmund and More!
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

Tennis Atlantic is pleased to be able to provide some on-site coverage from the Estoril Open this week, a 250 on clay and Portugal’s only ATP event. Here is your full preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Kevin Anderson starts his French Open prep with an opening match against Pablo Andujar or Stefanos Tsitsipas. It’ll be a tough match either way with Andujar a recent champ in Marrakech, and Tsitsipas a finalist in Barcelona. I’ll go with Andujar over Tsitsipas and Anderson in upsets. Roberto Carballes Baena takes on American Bjorn Fratangelo, the winner of that match should defeat Cam Norrie or Robin Haase to reach the quarters, with Andujar in the semifinals in my bracket.

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Kyle Edmund will face either home favorite Gastao Elias or Alex De Minaur in round 2, Edmund, a finalist in Marrakech should win that match and get past Gilles Simon or Joao Sousa in the quarters. Simon opens with wild card Pedro Sousa, Joao Sousa takes on Daniil Medvedev, I have Edmund over Simon in the quarters.

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Bottom Half:

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Pablo Carreno Busta will face Nicolas Kicker or a qualifier, with Leonardo Mayer or Nicolas Jarry awaiting in the quarters. I’ll back Mayer to beat Jarry and Frederico Silva or a qualifier before falling to PCB. PCB comes off a solid semifinal showing in Barcelona.

Albert Ramos will be favored to win the third section of the draw, he opens with Federico Delbonis, a player in poor form, a qualifier awaits in round 2, with Gilles Muller/Frances Tiafoe/Tennys Sandgren awaiting in the quarters. I’ll go with Muller over Tiafoe, with Ramos winning the section.

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Predictions

semis
Andujar d. Edmund
Carreno Busta d. Ramos

Anderson looms over the field, but Carreno Busta should be favored to win the title, and I’ll go with Andujar in another dark horse run. He’s rebuilding his career after injury.

final
Carreno Busta d. Andujar

2018 @ArgentinaOpen Preview and Predictions: Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini Among the Favorites

Posted by Admin on February 11, 2018
Posted in: ATP, buenos aires, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2018 ATP Buenos Aires Preview and Predictions: Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini Among the Favorites
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The Golden Swing continues with a 250 level clay court stop in Buenos Aires. Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini are among the favorites as some of the ATP’s best descend on Argentina. Here is your full preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Austria’s Dominic Thiem is a heavy favorite to take the title as the #1 seed. He’ll face either home favorite Horacio Zeballos or qualifier Marco Cecchinato. I have Thiem against Argentina’s Guido Pella in the quarters, Pella’s path is Nicolas Kicker, followed by Fernando Verdasco or Quito semifinalist Thiago Monteiro. Thiem over Pella is my choice at that stage.

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Italian Fabio Fognini should be good enough to defeat Leonardo Mayer or Rogerio Dutra Silva before facing fellow veteran Gael Monfils in the quarters. Monfils needs to defeat the seeded Pablo Cuevas, then Dusan Lajovic or qualifier Facundo Bagnis. Monfils wasn’t lights out in Quito, but Cuevas is struggling, thus it should be Fognini over Monfils in the quarters.

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Bottom Half:

Pablo Carreno Busta struggled in Quito and will look to get back on track here. PCB will face Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or Carlos Berlocq in the second round and I have him as the favorite. Kyle Edmund had his breakthrough at the Australian Open, but he’s historically been poor on clay. Edmund faces Quito champion Roberto Carballes Baena in round 1, Federico Delbonis/Florian Mayer will follow. I have Delbonis falling to Carreno Busta in the quarterfinals.

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Diego Schwartzman, a home hero, faces Andreas Haider-Maurer, he’ll get Pedro Cachin or qualifier Thomaz Bellucci in round 2. Quito finalist Albert Ramos will face Jiri Vesely or Aljaz Bedene. Bedene has some great potential this tournament and I have him beating Vesely and the tired Ramos to reach the quarters. Schwartzman is my pick to reach the semis.

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Predictions

Semis
Fognini d. Thiem
Carreno Busta d. Schwartzman

I’m not entirely confident in Thiem, and Fognini seems due for a solid result. The bottom half is open for the taking, but I’ll go with the steady Carreno Busta to reach the final.

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Final
Fognini d. Carreno Busta

Any number of players could be champion here, but I’ll go with the veteran dirtballer Fognini to make a run and come home with the trophy.

Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and Albert Ramos Top Seeds @EcuadorOpen250

Posted by Admin on February 5, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Quito, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and Albert Ramos Top Seeds at ATP Quito
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP Golden Swing kicks off with a 250 on clay in Quito, Ecuador, Spanish players feature heavily in the field. Here is your full preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Fresh off success in Davis Cup, Pablo Carreno Busta should be able to defeat Rogerio Dutra Silva/qualifier. PCB is in a weak section with Ivo Karlovic/Ernesto Escobedo/Corentin Moutet/Adrian Menendez-Maceiras awaiting in the quarters. None of those players have performed well on clay at the tour level, and PCB should roll into the semis.

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Paolo Lorenzi looks good in his section, he faces a qualifier, Nicolas Jarry/Tommy Robredo or Stefano Travaglia/Pablo Andujar to follow. Andujar is returning from injury so Travaglia should be favored, Robredo could find form as a wild card, but Lorenzi over his countryman Travaglia is my pick for the quarters.

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Bottom Half:

Albert Ramos should beat Roberto Quiroz/Yannick Hanfmann in the second round. Victor Estrella plays great in Quito, and I have him upsetting Thomaz Bellucci, and then Marco Cecchinato/Gerald Melzer to reach the quarters. VEB has beaten Bellucci three previous times in Quito. VEB should beat Melzer in the second round, and then I have him upsetting Ramos.

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Gael Monfils takes on young gun Casper Ruud (or Carlos Berlocq) in round 2. Horacio Zeballos faces Thiago Monteiro, Peter Polansky or a qualifier will follow. I have Monfils beating Monteiro (and Ruud) to reach the semis.

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Predictions

Semis
Estrella d. Monfils
Carreno Busta d. Lorenzi

Estrella plays so well in Quito he should upset Monfils. PCB is the tournament favorite for a reason though, he’s really risen in the past 12 months.

Final
Carreno Busta d. Estrella

2018 @QatarTennis Preview and Predictions: Next-Gen Stars Thiem, Coric, Rublev Lead Weakened Doha Field

Posted by Admin on January 1, 2018
Posted in: ATP, Doha, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2018 ATP Doha Preview and Predictions: Next Gen Stars Thiem, Coric, Rublev Lead Weakened Doha Field
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP 250 in Doha on hard courts to start the season is normally the ritziest 250 on tour but with most notably Novak Djokovic’s absence it plays host to one of the weaker fields it’s had in recent memory. ATP Next Gen stars Dominic Thiem, Borna Coric, and Andrey Rublev are presented with a great chance to make a run. Here is your full preview, with predictions.

Top Half:

Having cemented himself in the top 5, Thiem leads the Doha field and will open with Evgeny Donskoy. Thiem needs to focus on keep himself fresher in 2018, and he’s also going to be playing with a target on his back all season. That said, he has the game to put away Donskoy and either Malek Jaziri or Aljaz Bedene, Jaziri tends to step up his play in the Middle East, Bedene, who is back representing Slovenia, had a great 2017 though and should be opposite Thiem, falling in round 2.

French veteran Richard Gasquet opens with one of the oldest players on tour, Victor Estrella, he’ll then get another young gun in this draw, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, or veteran Florian Mayer in round 2. The Greek won 4 matches on the main tour last year and will be looking for a big scalp to start the season, that said Gasquet is good enough when fit I have him defeating everyone into the semifinals, including Thiem in the battle of backhands.

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Another veteran hoping for a good 2018 is Tomas Berdych, the Czech won 35 matches but hoisted no titles in 2017 was forgotten for much of the season. He’s better than J.L. Struff, and either Paolo Lorenzi or wild card Gael Monfils though. Monfils had yet another season derailed by injury last year, shutting down after the US Open, he hopes to be fit to start 2018.

Serbia’s Viktor Troicki faces ATP debutante Matteo Berrettini, while his countryman Filip Krajinovic takes on Peter Gojowczyk. Krajinovic had an incredible 2017 winning 71 matches in total (only 5 on the main tour) and reaching the ATP Paris Masters final. After tearing up the challenger tour look for Krajinovic to rise defeating Troicki and Berdych to reach the semifinals.

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Bottom Half:

Pablo Carreno Busta had a career year in 2017 but it still doesn’t seem like he’s appreciated enough. PCB has transformed into an all court performer, but despite his top 10 ranking he’s an underdog against Coric in his opening match. Coric is a talent but posted a below .500 tour record in 2017, PCB should defeat Coric and either Nikoloz Basilashvili or Thomas Fabbiano to reach the quarterfinals.

Russia’s young gun Rublev is my choice to reach the semifinals, Rublev just beat PCB in Abu Dhabi and his path is Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, then a veteran, either Fernando Verdasco or Dudi Sela, before facing PCB or Coric in the quarters (most likely).

The section with Albert Ramos as the highest seed is the weakest part of this draw, Ramos faces Guido Pella in a toss-up contest, Spanish veterans Feliciano Lopez and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez will square off, qualifier’s Mirza Basic and Stefano Travaglia are favored against Andreas Haider Maurer and local wild card Jabor Al-Mutawa respectively. Lopez did not have a great year last year but he still should be favored to survive and reach the quarters where he should defeat Ramos.

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Predictions

Semis
Gasquet d. Krajinovic
Rublev d. Lopez

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I’ll take Gasquet’s guile and shotmaking to take home the Doha title over the young gun Rublev, this is a pretty open field so anything could happen, but look for this contingent to get off to a good 2018.

Final
Gasquet d. Rublev