The opening day of the main draw matches on Monday at the Generali Open Kitzbuhel features only one seeded player in the singles draw in Lorenzo Sonego.
ATP Kitzbuhel Day 1 Predictions
Martin Klizan vs Matthias Bachinger
Defending champion Martin Klizan will be opening his title-defense bid against German qualifier Matthias Bachinger. The two have played each other just the one time previously but it was over seven years ago, at the 2012 Umag Open in Croatia. The German, who has been injured on and off in these years, is now ranked 124th in the world with his opponent ranked just outside the Top 60.
Although on paper, Klizan would go in as the favourite over the qualifier, the Slovakian’s unpredictability coupled with late-occurring on-court illnesses and injury make this a tricky match to call. Even more so, since Klizan is coming off a topsy-turvy three-set defeat to Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic in the third round of the Hamburg Open this past week. If Klizan sorts out his tactical and mental demons, he should make it to the second round without much fanfare. But will that happen?
Prediction: Klizan in 3
Roberto Carballes Baena vs Hugo Dellien
The Spaniard reached the quarterfinals of the Swiss Open Gstaad (lost to Alberto Ramos Viñolas) but it has been an inconsistent season at best for him. Against the Bolivian, the job at hand gets tougher for the 26-year-old Carballes Baena.
Hugo Dellien is ranked 13 spots below his 74th-ranked opponent but he has already claimed a win against him this year – in what has been his breakthrough year – at the Rio Open. Thus, while his recent result was a loss to eventual champion Nikoloz Basilashvili at the Hamburg Open in the Round of 16 was indeed tough, it shouldn’t carry forward to this tournament.
Dellien should go in as the favorite, although the manner of Carballes Baena’s last result should make this a closer contest than what their first match-up was.
Prediction: Dellien in 3
Jeremy Chardy vs Marco Cecchinato
This will be the first time that these two players will face each other on the ATP Pro Tour. The Italian,
who reached the semifinals of the 2018 French Open, has been in a free-fall this year. His win-to-loss record for 2019 is 11-16 and he has dropped down to the 87th place in the ATP rankings. In his last tournament, the Hamburg Open, Cecchinato lost in the second round to Delbonis in three sets.
In comparison, Chardy’s 2019, while still in doldrums, have been marginally better than his rival for
the day. The Frenchman made back-to-back quarterfinals in Bastaad and Hamburg this past week to spice up an otherwise bland season. Given the recent trend of results, it is not hard to predict who would emerge as the winner of this match.
Prediction: Chardy in 2
Federico Delbonis vs Lorenzo Sonego
The seventh-seeded Italian will open his campaign against Argentine Federico Delbonis. Sonego won their only previous encounter at the 2019 Brasil Open in Sao Paolo in March this year. However, entering into this event, both players are coming from pre-quarter-final losses in Gstaad (Lorenzo) and Hamburg (Delbonis). Nonetheless, the 52 nd -ranked Sonego would go in with the upper hand over his 67th-ranked rival with his past win over him holding him in good stead.
Prediction: Sonego in 3
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