With top seed and World #1 Daniil Medvedev being sent home in the round of 16 losing to Frenchman Richard Gasquet, Casper Ruud finds himself as the highest seed remaining at ATP Geneva. Benoit Paire in now his way of another ATP quarterfinal this year. Who do you think will win Wednesday’s matches?
ATP Geneva Day 4 Predictions
Reilly Opelka vs Christopher O’Connell
Head-to-head: 0-0
The clay court season started so well for the second-best American player with a title in Houston but since then things have gone rather sour to say the least. With three consecutive opening round matches the 24 year old desperately needs to find some form this week to take into Paris in order to have a chance to defend his round three points from last year. On paper, it’s a generous opening match but Australian O’Connell not only qualified for the event without dropping a set, but had a very impressive opening round win against Albert Ramos, the 42nd best player in the world, 7-6 6-4. This is going to be tough for the 6’11” man but I can see him just about edging it.
Prediction: Opelka in 3
Federico Delbonis vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
Head-to-head: 0-0
Truth be told I don’t think many people saw Kokkinakis beating Fognini in the last round but with that impressive win he now plays Delbonis. Whilst clay is the surface Delbonis feels most at home on, the Argentine has severely struggled with just three wins on the surface in his last eight events. The Australian’s worst surface is clay but when on and injury free he is a threat on any court with his big game. This is no doubt in the hands of the 26 year old.
Prediction: Kokkinakis in 2
Benoit Paire vs Casper Ruud
Head-to-head: Ruud 3-0
After an unexpected Miami final for Casper Ruud, tennis fans expected big things of the Norwegian on the European clay courts. Unfortunately for him, that wasn’t the case until a great semifinal showing in Madrid where he looked far better than in previous events.
The pair have played all three of their encounters within the past two years all on the dirt with Ruud going undefeated. To some it may be surprising the eighth ranked player is playing the week before a Grand Slam, but I totally understand it. I expect the 23 year old to build off his great run last week and win the title here going into Roland Garros with great confidence. Paire is far too unstable and inconsistent to threaten Ruud on this surface.
Prediction: Ruud in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
