The ATP Melbourne Summer Set 2022 rolls on and there are some big names in action on Day 3. Top seed Rafael Nadal plays his first ATP singles match of 2022 and accompanying him is Reilly Opelka, Grigor Dimitrov among others.
As ever, we preview and predict all eight Round of 16 matches scheduled for you including Maxime Cressy vs Reilly Opelka.
ATP Melbourne Summer Set Day 3 Predictions
Jordan Thompson vs Emil Ruusuvuori
Head to head – Ruusuvuori 2-0 Thompson
Emil Ruusuvuori has beaten Jordan Thompson twice in two meetings and he’s done so losing just one set. The Finn is a heavy ball striker and can significantly out hit the Aussie off both wings. Thompson is certainly more consistent but Ruusuvuori looked extremely assured going for his shots in the first round. Expect Ruusuvuori to put on a show and be a real contender for the latter stages for the tournament.
Prediction: Ruusuvuori in 2
Tallon Griekspoor vs Alexei Popyrin
Head to head – First Meeting
Both players enjoyed a solid start to their 2022 season with dominating wins over their opponents in the first round here. Tallon Griekspoor stuck to his strengths in taking out a tricky player like Dominik Koepfer while Alexei Popyrin was at his baseline hitting best to win in straight sets. Griekspoor should provide a good fight but Popyrin looks more powerful on serve and groundstrokes and hence should be the one winning this.
Prediction: Popyrin in 2
Mackenzie McDonald vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head to head – First Meeting
This match would normally fly under the radar but make no mistake about the quality of tennis these two will most likely offer. Mackenzie McDonald was in a ruthless mood in his first round but should find it more difficult to dominate from the baseline against Botic van de Zandschulp. The Dutchman showcased his clean striking right from serving to finishing up a point. Most likely it’s going to be the American who’s going to mix it up to keep van de Zandschulp honest, but the Dutchman looked extremely comfortable moving on the hard courts in Melbourne and he should be ready for anything McDonald conjures up.
Prediction: van de Zandschulp in 3
Rafael Nadal vs Ricardas Berankis
Head to head – First Meeting
Rafael Nadal wouldn’t mind facing Ricardas Berankis in his opening match here. The Lithuanian will be over powered from the baseline and should be perfect for Nadal to find his range especially off his forehand. It’ll be interesting to see whether Nadal brings any changes to his serve this year considering he would want more free points than he did say in his twenties. Expect Nadal to make a strong start and get much needed confidence ahead of the Australian Open 2022.
Prediction: Nadal in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
