We have reached the semifinal stage at the ATP Kremlin Cup in Moscow. The home fans have lost their defending champion, but are hoping to crown a new hometown hero.
Read our verdicts on the semifinal matchups below:
ATP Kremlin Cup Semifinal Predictions
Adrian Mannarino vs Andreas Seppi
Head-to-Head: Mannarino 4-4 Seppi
These two experienced players have done really well to emerge from this side of the draw. Both players have also had a ridiculously consistent pattern to their matches so far.
All three of Mannarino’s victories, including the quarterfinal against Dusan Lajovic, have been won by winning a first-set tiebreak and then dominating the second set. Seppi, on the other hand, has lost the first set in every round. This seemed to spell the end of his run when he did the same against Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinal, but the Italian was able to dig deep and find that same resolve again to come through in another epic.
The rivalry between these two began in 2008, and over the decade they have shared the spoils over all their contests. The last of which was at this same tournament last year. Mannarino came through that match in two 7-5 sets. Mannarino’s performances in this year’s Kremlin Cup have been very impressive but the way that Seppi has been able to find the answers to his opponents time after time gives pause for thought.
Expect this to be a very tight match, either two long sets or a three-set marathon. I am going to give the verdict to the Frenchman for fitness and form reasons.
Prediction: Mannarino in 3
Andrey Rublev vs Marin Cilic
Head-to-Head: Rublev 1-1 Cilic
Rublev is one step away from a hometown final after dismissing Nikola Milojevic in the quarterfinal. He will save saved much-needed energy for the battles to come having had an easy time of it against the Serbian.
The exact opposite is true of Marin Cilic. The Croat will be delighted to have made his first semifinal of a disappointing year but he had to go deep into the well to do so against Jeremy Chardy. It was a punishing encounter as the Frenchman continued to serve well, as he had done all week, and it took a third-set tiebreak for the former World #3 to progress.
In the most recent clash between the pair at the Miami Masters in March Rublev ran out a straight-sets winner. The indoor hard twelve-month stats also suggest that Rublev has a slight edge. Although Cilic holds serve more often, he hasn’t shown Rublev’s ability to break his opponent in the indoor conditions.
It is amazing to think that the Muscovite had never won a match at the Kremlin Cup until Monday. Now he is the only hope the home crowd have for a home finalist and so he will have full support in the arena and this could propel the youngster into a second ATP final of the season.
Prediction: Rublev in 3
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