The ATP Gstaad Open should provide plenty of entertaining tennis over the next week with a number of star names in the draw. On day one, there are six matches on the slate and, as ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match, including Benoit Paire vs Jozef Kovalik. But who will secure their spot in the second round?
ATP Gstaad Day 1 Predictions
Johan Nikles vs Vit Kopriva
Head-to-head: first meeting
The upcoming Swiss and wildcard entrant Johan Nikles, ranked 435rd in the world, will be the crowd favourite, but this is his first tour-level match. Will his inexperience prove costly? The Swiss does have one ITF title to show for his efforts so far in his career and one main draw win in a Challenger event. What is for certain is that Nikles will be hoping to put up a tough fight.
Vit Kopriva is a consistent performer on the Challenger Tour, but he is just as inexperienced as Nikles on the main tour. He will also be playing his first ATP Tour main draw match. That said, it should not be overlooked that he is ranked much higher than Nikles and typically plays in a higher tier of tournaments. Going by current form and stats, Kopriva should secure the win, but perhaps not very easily.
Prediction: Kopriva in 3
Oscar Otte vs Zizou Bergs
Head-to-head: first meeting
Zizou Bergs is a promising 22-year-old from Belgium, with three Challenger titles to his name already. He has got a powerful serve and likes to attack. He does well at the net when given an opportunity to step into the forecourt. But he only has a chance of winning this match if he manages to keep his error count low. Oscar Otte, meanwhile, made waves when he pushed Alexander Zverev to five sets at Roland Garros earlier this season before also taking Andy Murray the distance at Wimbledon in the second round.
He did lose both matches, but the German’s big serve and forehand along with good court coverage gives him the scope to play aggressively. He also uses drop shots very often, which does not allow the opponent to settle. After losing in the first round of qualifying in Hamburg, Otte has found some form on clay, beating Andrea Pellegrino and Roberto Marcora to reach the main draw in Gstaad. The match might we;; be entertaining and could go to three sets, but expect Otte to have the edge.
Prediction: Otte in 3
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Feliciano Lopez vs Marc-Andrea Huesler
Head-to-head: Huesler 1-0 Lopez
Feliciano Lopez went through a clear dip in form after the pandemic-enforced break with his age looking to have finally caught up with him. His serve and forehand can still be depended upon, but he is not moving well enough and his backhand slice rarely manages to trouble opponents these days. Lopez arrives in Gstaad having narrowly lost his last three matches, including a first-round loss at the French Open. He will no doubt try to finish this match in straight sets if he can, with fitness understandably a concern for the veteran.
Marc-Andrea Huesler does not have nearly as much experience. He is not a regular in main draws of ATP Tour events and his record on clay is unremarkable. So far this season on the clay, he has failed to qualify at ATP tournaments in Estoril, Barcelona, and Geneva; as well as the French Open. His results in recent weeks have also been mixed, with defeats at Challenger-level and in qualifying rounds, which indicates unsatisfactory form. Huesler does lead the head-to-head, but expect Lopez to come out on top.
Prediction: Lopez in 3
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