The clay court ATP 250 in Santiago, Chile enters its second full day of main draw play with a host of clay courters in action. Which players will advance from their opening matches? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
ATP Santiago Day 2 Predictions
Sebastian Baez vs Juan Pablo Varillas
Head-to-head: Baez leads 4-2 (all Challenger level bouts)
21-year-old Sebastian Baez and 26-year-old Juan Pablo Varillas will be playing in their first tour-level matchup, but these two have seen a lot of each other on the South American Challenger circuit over the last few years. These two squared off on the clay five times in 2021, with Baez winning three of the matches. Varillas did top the Argentinian in the Santiago 1 Challenger final in October of last year. Both of these guys like the clay and have proven to not budge when playing each other. Baez has played a ton of matches this season, 17 to be exact, as he tries to climb up the rankings. You have to wonder if that will lead to fatigue problems. I see him getting by Varillas, but look towards the health of his legs should he advance in the tournament.
Prediction: Baez in 3
Daniel Elahi Galan vs Jaume Munar
Head-to-head: Galan leads 1-0
Daniel Galan and Jaume Munar will once against meet on the red clay after squaring off for the first time three weeks ago in Cordoba. Galan bested the Spaniard 6-2 3-6 6-1. Galan has played well since his return from Australia, winning ten of his 13 matches including a Challenger title. Munar has been about as average as you can be to start the season holding a 5-6 record in 2022. I favor the Colombian to once again best the Spaniard. I like the form Galan has been in and think he can serve well enough to avoid that from being a detriment to his performance.
Prediction: Galan in 3
Carlos Taberner vs Juan Manuel Cerundolo
Head-to-head: First meeting
24-year-old Carlos Taberner and 20-year-old Juan Manuel Cerundolo are both looking to take advantage of a somewhat weekly seeded tournament to break through at a tour-level event. Both were dominant Challenger players who are looking to cement themselves as tour-level threats. Cerundolo is a clay maestro. He moves marvelously on the clay and has a much elevated level on his home surface. Taberner also favors the clay, but not like the Argentinian. This is Cerundolo’s first match since Australia, which is a cause for concern. Taberner is just 2-3 in his last month of tennis but at least he has been out on the court. I will take Cerundolo in three sets.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 3
Marco Cecchinato vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head-to-head: First meeting
Italian Marco Cecchinato and Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic come to Santiago with very different 2022 track records. Cecchinato has played just three matches this season, losing all of them. Kecmanovic is 9-4 on the season having reached Round 4 at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals of last week’s ATP 500 in Rio. The Serbian is the favorite in this match, and rightfully so. It is hard to look passed his formed compared to the lack of matches Cecchinato has played in this season. With that being said, the Italian does favor the clay surface which should give him some confidence. I will still take Kecmanovic in straight sets.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
