The remainder of Round 1 will be completed on Day 2 of action on the clay of the ATP Cordoba Open. There are ten matches on the courts in Argentina and you can read previews of three of the battles below.
Four more matches are previewed in a separate article, including Dominik Koepfer vs Federico Coria with the remaining three, including Pedro Sousa vs Federico Delbonis in a final article.
ATP Cordoba Open Day 2 Predictions
Francisco Cerundolo vs Gianluca Mager
Head-to-Head Record: Dellien 1-0 Cecchinato
The Argentine is one of two very talented brothers in the Cordoba main draw and comes fresh from a final in the Concepcion Challenger in Chile last week. He is in very good form having won 17 of his last 19 matches, albeit all coming on the Challenger Tour.
Mager has broken through in recent times and has played most of his recent matches on the ATP Tour. He put up a great battle against eventual semifinalist Aslan Karatsev at the Australian Open and also scored a double of wins at Delray Beach at the beginning of the year.
However, this will be Mager’s first clay court match since the Marbella Challenger in October and Cerundolo is dialled in on the dirt at the moment. The Argentine’s movement and shot creation should have Mager out of his comfort zone and help him to win the match.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 3
Facundo Bagnis vs Nicolas Kicker
Head-to-Head Record: First meeting
Bagnis progressed out of qualifying quite comfortably to play yet another South American ATP tournament on clay. The red dirt is clearly the Argentine’s best surface and he knows it. Of the 18 tournaments Bagnis played last year, 14 were on clay. He boasts a clear winning percentage on clay as well.
Kicker is playing his first tournament following a long suspension from the sport for match-fixing. The Cordoba tournament has courted controversy by granting him a wild card into the event but surely the former world #78 will be nowhere near match sharpness for this tournament. Bagnis should win in straight sets.
Prediction: Bagnis in 2
Juan Ignacio Londero vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Head-to-Head Record: Londero 1-0 Ramos-Vinolas
Both players will be hoping to return to some form now that clay is back on the ATP rota. Londero has a very good record in the Golden Swing events and indeed won this Cordoba title in 2019. He is currently on a terrible run so will try and use the location to inspire him to greater things here.
Ramos-Vinolas is very much in the fall of his career now, but can still produce some moments of magic. As a former Top 20 player, he can never be totally discounted, but similar to his opponent the Spaniard arrives in Cordoba in poor form having lost five out of his last six matches.
This match is quite likely to be a three-set grind. However, Ramos-Vinolas may just tire towards the end of these punishing rallies and allow Londero to squeeze through.
Prediction: Londero in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
