Only eight men remain in contention for the trophy in Cagliari. The ATP Sardinia Open 2021 has been an enthralling tournament so far and looks like it’s only going to get even more exciting. As ever, we at LWOT preview and predict all four quarterfinal matches for you.
ATP Sardinia Open Quarterfinal Predictions
Laslo Djere vs Lorenzo Musetti
Head to head – Djere 1-0 Musetti
While Laslo Djere came through with ease, Lorenzo Musetti took part in one of the matches of the tournament. The Italian saved four match points to take out the top seed Daniel Evans in a third set tiebreaker. Musetti looked assured in his shot making even when saving match points, and that bodes well for his mental fortitude.
Djere is the defending champion and did play like one. He beat the young Italian here last year as Musetti retired mid way of the third set. A lot has changed since then for the Italian though and with Djere preferring to hang back and rally from the baseline, Musetti should out rally the Serb and keep marching forward.
Prediction: Musetti in 3
Yannick Hanfmann vs Lorenzo Sonego
Head to head – First Meeting
Yannick Hanfmann is on a decent run here, winning two main draw matches against good opponents. However for the German, Lorenzo Sonego is not going to be easy to put away. The Italian is playing like a third seed here dispatching Gilles Simon in two straight forward sets.
Hanfmann is a consistent baseliner and constructs points extremely especially on clay but Sonego’s movement and power off both wins certainly gives him a distinctive advantage. Expect Sonego to dominate and reach the last four.
Prediction: Sonego in 2
Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Jan-Lennard Struff
Head to head – Struff 2-1 Basilashvili
Since losing the first set to Joao Sousa, Jan-Lennard Struff has looked in solid touch here in Cagliari. The same can’t be said of his opponent Nikoloz Basilashvili who still looks like he’s searching for his top game that won him the title in Qatar this year.
The Georgian had to save match points to get the better of the qualifier Jozef Kovalik. Struff has won the last two of the pair’s meetings and in emphatic fashion too. Expect Basilashvili to struggle and Struff to make full use of that.
Prediction: Struff in 2
Aljaz Bedene vs Taylor Fritz
Head to head – Bedene 1-0 Fritz
Both players enter this match on the back of good wins in their respective Round of 16 matches. Aljaz Bedene certainly impressed against a tricky opponent in Egor Gerasimov while Taylor Fritz struggled in the second set only to comeback well and take it 7-6 in the second set.
These two played each other once and it was a tight two setter with Bedene winning it. On the clay however, Fritz does look like he’ll have the extra power and speed on his ground strokes to really hurt Bedene. That being said, Bedene is a smat tennis player and won’t be going away easily. Expect a tight and fierce contest with Fritz edging this one on the back of his better serve and more aggressive ground strokes.
Prediction: Fritz in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
