Day 4 of the ATP Estoril Open will see the remaining top seeds step foot on court in their bids to win the title. Top seed Denis Shapovalov will be getting his campaign under way in what assures to be another thrilling day of tennis. As throughout the week, we here at Last Word On Tennis will be making our predictions on who will come out on top. So, who will be heading into the next round?
ATP Estoril Day 4 Predictions
Richard Gasquet vs Cristian Garin
Head-to-head: First meeting
Second seed Garin makes his first appearance in Estoril as he takes on veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet. Gasquet did well to come through against Londero in straights in the previous round, but faces a much tougher task here. Garin’s best tennis often comes on clay, and he has a real shot at winning this tournament.
As Gasquet rarely produces the brilliance we used to see from him, it’s unlikely that he’ll cause Garin many problems. Garin covers the court brilliantly and can grind out tough rallies consistently, which he showed in his straight sets win over Felix Auger Aliassime in Monte Carlo. If Garin can neutralise Gasquet’s backhand and get on top of the rallies, then it should be a solid win for the second seed.
Prediction: Garin in 2
Pierre-Hugues Herbert vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Head-to-head: Herbert 2 – 0 Ramos Vinolas
Both players won comfortably in Round 1 against their fellow countrymen, displaying some excellent tennis. Ramos-Vinolas dismantled Verdasco convincingly and is looking sharp this week. Herbert also came up with a very strong performance to beat Simon, who loves to rally much like Ramos-Vinolas. Herbert clearly seems to relish these battles despite his game not being necessarily suited to clay, so he may fancy his chances again here.
If Herbert can dominate the points like he did against Simon then he should be the one to come out on top. This said, Ramos-Vinolas is playing very solidly and will be making Herbert work very hard for it. Expect Ramos-Vinolas to potentially grab a set, but Herbert should come through in a tough battle.
Prediction: Herbert in 3
Cameron Norrie vs Pedro Martinez
Head-to-head: First meeting
Norrie blitzed his way through a potentially tricky encounter against Sousa in the first round and is continuing his excellent form this season. While most were expecting him to win, the manner in which he did was impressive. Martinez thrashed Bublik in his opening match, and is looking very promising as the season progresses. It appears this will be quite a match.
Norrie is really solidifying himself at the top of the men’s game with his excellent all-court game, and this will be an interesting test for him. Both players are playing with plenty of confidence and while Norrie goes in as the favourite, expect it to be an intense battle. Norrie currently has more experience at the top, and this should definitely count in his favour.
Prediction: Norrie in 3
Denis Shapovalov vs Corentin Moutet
Head-to-head: First meeting
Shapovalov will be hoping to put in a big performance this week to prove his worth as the first seed. Moutet had a thrilling battle with Giron in the first round, and played some lovely tennis on the way. It certainly won’t be an easy first match for Shapovalov, but his form on clay is getting better and better as his promising career progresses.
The top seed may be a little shaky at the start of the match after his disappointing straight sets loss to Auger Aliassime in Barcelona, but he should settle in fairly quickly. It won’t be a walk in the park, but the young Canadian has some devastating shots in his arsenal and will be looking to dominate with his stunning groundstrokes whenever possible. Shapovalov may have a few tricky moments, but he should be fairly comfortable in victory.
Prediction: Shapovalov in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
