Our ATP Halle day 1 Predictions include defending champion Ugo Humbert and #3 seed Andrey Rublev. With Wimbledon around the corner, this is the last week of match play for the upper echelon in the men’s game. Who emerges from the pack victorious will be a fascinating storyline to follow. As ever, we do our best to determine who should make it through each day in these prediction pieces. Agree to disagree? Perhaps we’ve overlooked something you feel should be factored in? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
ATP Halle Day 1 Predictions
Ilya Ivashka vs Jan Leonard Struff
Head-to-head: 2 – 1 Struff
Struff has fallen off the pace somewhat over the last 12 months. However, the German is in front of a home crowd here on a surface that suits his big serve and superb net game. Ivashka is a talented player in his own right. However, the Belarusian has seemed most at home on fast hard courts. Talent-wise there is little to split the two here so I will give the edge to the German on account of home advantage and a game slightly more suited to the surface.
Prediction: Struff in 3
Laslo Djere vs Henri Squire
Head-to-head: first meeting
Squire was handed a wildcard into the main draw of Halle by virtue of his nationality. However, the German is well and truly out of his depth here and one has to question the decision given the criticism the likes of Andy Murray have faced over the wildcard issue in recent motnhs. His opponent , Laslo Djere, is a far more accomplished and capable tennis player. That being said, the surface does level the playing feild slightly. Djere is most at home on clay and that is no secret. Still, the gulf in quality is to high to ignore here. Squire has minimal experience on grass at this level and no experience of being inside the top 300 in the men’s game.
Prediction: Djere in 2
Andrey Rublev vs Nikoloz Basilashvili
Head-to-head: 3 – 2 Rublev
Rublev has had the run of this matchup over their last three outings. The most recent of those was in this very same tournament last year. The Russian edged that encounter in three sets and a similarly close match is likely here. Both hit the ball immensely hard and have no real back up plan if that fails them. Rublev’s serve is certainly the stronger of the two. However, Basilashvili has a stronger backhand and is far more comfortable coming forward. Truth be told, there isn’t much to separate these two as far as talent goes. Basilashvili looked good in his last lost to Kyrgios and I think Rublev is a more vulnerable opponent on Grass. Give the edge to the Georgian in this one.
Prediction: Basilashvili in 3
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