On day three at the European Open there will be both first and second round action for the fans in Antwerp to enjoy. But who will advance and who will fall to defeat?
ATP European Open Day 3 Predictions
First Round Matches
Frances Tiafoe vs Yannick Maden
Head-to-head: first meeting
Frances Tiafoe has a good chance of securing his place at the NextGen Finals to be held at Milan if he can put together a good run in Antwerp. His first challenge will be to get the better of German qualifier Yannick Maden, who has not competed often on the main tour this year. Tiafoe will certainly be the favourite as a result, but he is not in great form. He failed to pick up a single win during the Asian swing, suffering one-sided losses to Alexander Zverev in Beijing and Denis Shapovalov in Shanghai. That said, Zverev and Shapovalov are rather mightier foes than Maden. Tiafoe may not have things all his own way, but he is the better hard-courter and should book his place in the second round.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 3
Pablo Cuevas vs Hugo Dellien
Head-to-head: first meeting
Although both players are rather more at home on the clay, this should still be an interesting encounter. Hugo Dellien has never won a tour-level title and although Pablo Cuevas has won six, they have all come on the clay. With neither man possessing a particularly notable serve or a real affinity for playing in the forecourt, long baseline rallies seem certain to be the order of the day in this one.
The contest between their backhands should be interesting. Dellien has a solid, if slightly workmanlike two-hander, whilst Cuevas possesses a very effective single-hander. The Uruguayan spreads the court very effectively with that shot and will surely look to keep Dellien moving to prevent the Bolivian imposing himself from the baseline. If he can do that, he should be able to book his place in the second round at the European Open.
Prediction: Cuevas in 3
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Second Round Matches
Guido Pella vs Soonwoo Kwon
Head-to-head: Pella 1-0 Kwon
Kwon Soon-woo will surely be elated after beating former-champion Richard Gasquet in his opener. But the South Korean will need every bit of confidence that win has given him when he takes on Argentina’s Guido Pella, who has had a superb 2019, highlighted by a run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The left-handed Pella does not possess massive power, but his forehand is a useful weapon and he gives little away from the baseline. He also has surprisingly deft volleys and an effective return. Expect him to target Kwon’s vulnerable second serve. He did just that in their only previous meeting, which came in Los Cabos last year, winning 69% of the points against Kwon’s second delivery. If he can replicate anything like those numbers, Pella should advance comfortably enough.
Prediction: Pella in 2
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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs Gilles Simon
Head-to-head: Tsonga 9-3 Simon
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s clash with Gilles Simon for a place in the quarterfinals could well be the match of day three at the European Open. Both delivered excellent performances in the first round, with Tsonga besting Lorenzo Sonego 6-3 6-4 and Simon ousting Steve Darcis 6-1 6-2. Neither man yielded a break of serve to their opponent. But Simon may not be feeling confident about his chances in this one, having struggled against Tsonga throughout his career.
There is a real disparity between the amount of power the two men can summon off the ground, particularly off the forehand side. Simon does have the advantage off the backhand, but if Tsonga is engaged, he should have enough options to dictate proceedings. Returning aggressively will be a must for the 2017 Antwerp champion, especially off second serves, but if he is able to combine that with a good serving day, this should be a fairly routine win for him.
Prediction: Tsonga in 2
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Stan Wawrinka vs Feliciano Lopez
Head-to-head: Wawrinka 4-3 Lopez
Stan Wawrinka, who is returning to the court for the first time since losing in the US Open quarterfinals to Daniil Medvedev, will start his European Open campaign against Feliciano Lopez in a must-watch clash. This will be their eighth match, but their first meeting on a hard court since 2013. That the Swiss star can still compete with the very best was made evident by his run at the US Open, where he defeated defending champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.
But it should be remembered that the Serb was carrying a shoulder injury, one that ultimately forced him to retire early in the third set. And Wawrinka will need to be wary of Lopez, who impressed in besting Cameron Norrie in the first round in straight-sets. The Spaniard thrives in quick indoor conditions and will test Wawrinka’s passing shots with forays forward. But there are few who pass better than Wawrinka and he has the power to impose himself on Lopez from the baseline.
Prediction: Wawrinka in 3
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