The ATP clay court swing continues on Monday in Estoril, with a number of high profile names performing. Many players are already showing their skills on the clay in the build up to the French Open, and as we get closer to the second Grand Slam of the year, the guys at the top will be desperate hit some good form on the surface. Throughout the week, we here at Last Word on Tennis will be offering up our predictions. So, who will come out on top in Estoril?
ATP Estoril Day 1 Predictions
Pablo Andujar vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Head-to-head: First meeting
This will be a fascinating matchup. The Spanish veteran faces a very tough challenge in his fellow countryman, who has certainly shown how dangerous he is on clay. Andujar is one of the last remaining Spanish clay-court grinders, whereas Davidovich Fokina plays very aggressively and will be taking the ball early from the off. If Davidovich can be aggressive and consistent enough, he should cause Andujar plenty of problems.
Andujar has bucket loads of experience to count on, and while he’s done well to remain around the top 100 for so long, Davidovich Fokina’s game should be too strong. Andujar’s form of late hasn’t been up to scratch, which will count against him. Two competitive sets are likely to occur, with the younger Spaniard coming out on top in straight sets.
Prediction: Davidovich Fokina in 2
Jordan Thompson vs Nuno Borges
Head-to-head: First meeting
This should be a rather one-sided affair. Nuno Borges did brilliantly to come through the qualifiers where he beat Roberto Carballes Baena and Liam Broady. However, he’s currently ranked #331 and plays his tennis on the Futures and Challenger Tours. Thompson has been around the top of the men’s game for a while now, and has huge amounts of experience as well as skill.
Borges will be full of confidence from his qualifying matches, and Thompson does sometimes struggle to play his best tennis on clay. However, his power and ability should be more than enough to see him through in straight sets.
Prediction: Thompson in 2
Jeremy Chardy vs Jaume Munar
Head-t0-head: First meeting
Another clash of the generations here. Jeremy Chardy has had much success throughout his career including on clay, and can never be counted out. Munar, on the other hand, is still in the early years of his career, but has been impressing immensely on the clay in recent years.
This should be a very tight encounter, with neither player giving the other much breathing space. Chardy is a grinder with a brilliant serve, and is incredibly tough to put away, so it won’t be easy for Munar. However, Munar’s potent attacking threat and solid defence allows him to be more than capable of putting Chardy away. If he can stay focused and consistent, he should come through in a tight match.
Prediction: Munar in 3
Marin Cilic vs Carlos Alcaraz
Head-to-head: First meeting
This will be a very interesting battle. Cilic has been in and out of form for some time now so it’s always very tricky to predict how his matches will go. He will be right up against it when he faces rising sensation Alcatraz, who is making tremendous strides on tour despite only being 17 years old. Cilic’s strength and experience will benefit him greatly, but he will be tested.
Alcaraz will no doubt make things very tricky for Cilic. His power mixed with an incredible skillset, especially for his age, will definitely cause Cilic plenty of problems. It’s highly likely that the match will go the distance, and realistically it could go either way. However, Cilic’s experience will help him get through the trickier parts of the match, and could see him clinch it.
Prediction: Cilic in 3
Kevin Anderson vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: Anderson 3 – 1 Tiafoe
Another fascinating matchup here, with plenty of potential outcomes on the cards. Kevin Anderson has had a fantastic career but has been cruelly hit with major injuries, ruling him out of a lot of important parts of the season on multiple occasions. Neither Anderson or Tiafoe particularly shine on clay, so it will be interesting to see how their styles clash on this surface.
Tiafoe is constantly improving his all-round game, and he showed his ability to grind out rallies in his four-set loss to Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open. Anderson relies heavily on his massive groundstrokes: but the clay will soak most of these up, giving Tiafoe the chance to keep the rallies going consistently. It will be a tightly-fought match, but Tiafoe’s style suits the clay better so he goes in as the favourite.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
