Day two at the Halle Open boasts a full slate of exciting matches, with a number of star names set to compete, including nine-time former champion Roger Federer and defending champion Borna Coric. But who will book their place in the second round?
Jan-Lennard Struff vs Laslo Djere (first on Stadion)
Head-to-head: Struff 1-0 Djere
Jan-Lennard Struff has long since established himself as a reliable member of the top 100, but the German has still yet to reach a tour-level final. Now at a career-high ranking of world #35, he is one of just two men ranked inside the top 50 yet to accomplish that feat, the other is Denis Shapovalov, nine years his junior. But he is on a fine run of form after reaching the last 16 at the French Open (lost to Djokovic), before beginning his grass-court campaign with a run to the semifinals in Stuttgart (lost to Berrettini).
Laslo Djere, meanwhile, has enjoyed a breakthrough season, highlighted by his triumph at the Rio Open. But he is far more at home on the clay than the grass, as evidenced by his loss to the journeyman Paolo Lorenzi in the first round at Wimbledon last season. Grass courts reward first-strike tennis and there are few better equipped to deliver a devastating early blow than Struff. Backed by the German crowd, expect Struff to continue his fine run of form at the Halle Open.
Prediction: Struff in two.
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Borna Coric vs Jaume Munar (second on Stadion)
Head-to-head: Coric 1-0 Munar
Borna Coric will have to cope with the pressure of being defending champion, but the Croatian should have reasons to feel confident about his chances of delivering another good run at the Halle Open. He has worked hard to add an extra element of aggression to his game off the ground and has also improved his serve. The Spaniard Jaume Munar would benefit from taking a leaf out of Coric’s book. Far more adept on a grass court than his opponent, it is hard to envisage the fourth-seeded Croatian running into too many problems in this contest.
Prediction: Coric in two.
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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs Benoit Paire (third on Stadion)
Head-to-head: Tsonga 3-1 Paire
In what looks to be the most exciting match of the day on paper, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, twice a Wimbledon semifinalist, will take on his countryman Benoit Paire. Tsonga is not the force he once was, but he remains a nigh-on irresistible force on his day thanks to a booming serve and hammer blow of a forehand. He also defends his weaker backhand better on the grass than on slower surfaces and can use his soft hands at the net more effectively.
Paire, in a marked contrast, generally prefers the slower surfaces, which allow him more time to set up for his big strikes. But he arrives at the Halle Open in excellent form after winning the Lyon Open before reaching the last 16 at Roland Garros. That said, his five-set loss there to Kei Nishikori was surely heartbreaking and he may not have quite recovered from it. Even if he has, Tsonga has the weaponry to hit through anyone on a grass-court. Expect him to do just that.
Prediction: Tsonga in three.
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Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Matteo Berrettini (fourth on Court 1)
Head-to-head: Basilashvili 1-1 Berrettini
After a career-best 2018 season which saw him win two ATP 500 titles in Hamburg and Beijing, Nikoloz Basilashvili has rather flattered to deceive so far in 2019. The same cannot be said of his first-round opponent at the Halle Open, Matteo Berrettini. The Italian has had a superb year, winning titles in Budapest and Stuttgart, the latter without dropping serve. His combination of deft touch and power will make him a troublesome opponent for anyone and, provided he can manage the emotional let down after his triumph in Stuttgart, he should have too much for Basilashvili.
Prediction: Berrettini in three.
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