With 11 first-round matches on the slate, there should be plenty of entertaining tennis on day two at the ATP Dubai Championships and, as always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the slate, including Andrey Rublev vs Dan Evans and Lloyd Harris vs Alex Molcan. But who will book their place in the second round?
ATP Dubai Day 2 Predictions
Karen Khachanov vs Alex de Minaur
Head-to-head: de Minaur 1-0 Khachanov
This one looks like being a very close contest. Both are ranked about the same, Alex de Minaur has a slight edge in hard court win percentage, they’ve played only once before, and both have had merely decent starts to the season. Karen Khachanov attacks well and de Minaur retrieves well, so the styles should offset. Expect a close match, but de Minaur should have the slight edge, as having won their lone matchup. He also has a slightly better win percentage on hard court.
Prediction: de Minaur in 3
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Hubert Hurkacz vs Alexander Bublik
Head-to-head: Hurkacz 1-1 Bublik
Alexander Bublik had a great start to the season, with several good wins in Montpellier that culminated in a victory in the final over the top seed Alexander Zverev. He hasn’t shown much since, however, but nor has his opponent shown much since a win over Diego Schwartzman in the ATP Cup. The two have similar win percentages on hard court, and have split their head-to-head meetings (Bublik’s win came here in Dubai in 2020). Their styles mesh, as Hubert Hurkacz is a relatively slow-playing defensive player, while Bublik tends to be more offensive, with some of that offense coming in the form of trick shots to keep himself and the crowd entertained. The Kazakh tends to be hit or miss depending on how he’s feeling, but he might well have the edge over the Pole here, who doesn’t seem to have yet turned on this season.
Prediction: Bublik in 3
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Alexei Popyrin vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Head-to-head: first meeting
Alexei Popyrin has not found his form yet this year, winning only one match in seven. Nikoloz Basilashvili started the year equally awful, not winning at all until Doha last week. However, that tournament culminated in a finals appearance, which gives him great momentum and a lot of encouragement going into nearby Dubai. He’s had mediocre success here in years past, while the Australian is only one for two. The two have not faced each other before, and the extreme power of Basilashvili could give Popyrin difficulty, especially on his forehand side.
Prediction: Basilashvili in 2
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Arthur Rinderknech vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Head-to-head: Rinderknech 1-0 Bautista Agut
Roberto Bautista Agut has had an excellent start to season, absolutely on fire in the ATP Cup, and now entering Dubai fresh off a title victory in Doha. He has also won Dubai before, although hasn’t fared well in recent years. Arthur Rinderknech has also had a good start to the season, with both semifinals and finals appearances, and has won the only matchup between the two, though it was on clay. Both are hard-hitting counterpunchers, and the match should feature extended rallies, which could wear on the Spaniard after his long previous tournament. But a player as in-form as Bautista Agut has to be favoured.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 3
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