As part of final preparations for the French Open, many ATP players have stopped in Belgrade for the clay court ATP Tournament this week. Here is your look at all of the action including the Lucas Pouille vs Fernando Verdasco shotmaker’s special match, and matches featuring Pablo Cuevas and Dusan Lajovic.
Lucas Pouille vs Fernando Verdasco
Pouille is 1-1 against Verdasco, with the loss coming in a clay court final in 2016. At 5-8 on the year it’s been a quiet one so far for Pouille as he works himself back into match fitness and form. Verdasco has fallen from the top 100 (peaked at #7 in 2009), and at this late stage in his career is flirting with losing ATP level status. Over the past two seasons he’s just 6-12 at the ATP level and 0-5 this season. His last match win coming last year in Nur-Sultan. Verdasco has always been a talent, but he’s struggling badly right now and Pouille looks to be on the upswing. Pouille in 2
Federico Delbonis vs Lukas Klein
Reaching the quarterfinals as a qualifier was impressive for Delbonis in Rome, he also won matches in Madrid and reached the quarters in the past Belgrade tournament (and qualified in Monte Carlo). In short, it’s been a very impressive clay court season for Delbonis, who will be a player to watch to make upsets in Paris. He’s 14-11 at the tour level this year while Klein, at a career high of 255, is here as a lucky loser and did make the Ostrava challenger quarterfinals previously. This is a significant mismatch, Delbonis should advance with a margin of comfort. Delbonis in 2
Radu Albot vs Thiago Monteiro
Monteiro is again flirting with a career high ranking and trying to burst into the top 70, he’s 9-9 on the season and did reach the quarters in Cordoba on South American clay. The former top 40 Albot reached the semis in Singapore and is 5-7 this season. Monteiro looks slightly better for now but this one will be close. Monteiro in 2
Arthur Rinderknech vs Roberto Carballes Baena
Rinderknech is in super form and at a career high ranking inside the top 125. He reached the quarters in Lyon most recently and is 5-4 at tour level, plus an impressive 15-6 at the challenger tour level in 2021. Carballes Baena defeated him at the Belgrade challenger on clay earlier this year however, and has come through qualifying, just as he did in Rome and the first ATP Belgrade tournament. He’s 4-10 at tour level but 6-2 in challengers. Both players would be happy to be here and with the matchup, but the tiebreaker goes to RCB given the h2h. Carballes Baena in 2
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