After 26 years away from the ATP calendar, the Tel Aviv Open is set to return with a mightily impressive field for a 250. The likes of Diego Schwartzman, Marin Cilic, or Dominic Thiem will battle for the title though the biggest star without a doubt is 21-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic. The Serb is playing his first 250 outside of Belgrade since January 2019 and will also appear in doubles alongside the 45-year-old Jonathan Erlich, a former No. 5 in doubles and a 2008 Australian Open champion. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. Who do you think will win?
ATP Tel Aviv Day 1 Predictions
Liam Broady vs Nicolas Alvarez Varona
Head-to-head: first meeting
Starting with a taste of qualifying, top seed Liam Broady faces off against a young Spaniard in Alvarez Varona. Broady has had a largely mediocre season with the peaks being a Wimbledon third round and beating David Goffin to reach the semifinals of a Challenger 125 in Phoenix. That was the Brit’s only Challenger semifinal this season. Alvarez Varona has struggled more this season, a 17-26 record and an unconvincing attempt at transitioning to the Challenger Tour full time. The 21-year-old did reach the final of a Challenger in Liberec but that was the only time he made it past the second round this season. With the hard courts playing even more into Broady’s cards, we should be seeing the top seed come through to the main draw.
Prediction: Broady in 2
Hugo Grenier vs Roman Safiullin
Head-to-head: Grenier 2-0 Safiullin
This should be an equally-matched and entertaining battle here. Grenier had a strong hard-court summer, winning Challengers in Segovia and Cassis while reaching the second round as a lucky loser at the US Open. Safiullin also got two Challenger titles, winning in Nur-Sultan and Chicago, though the Russian has not played since US Open qualifying. The Frenchman has won both of their previous meetings, played out on the Challenger Tour in 2020. On current form, Grenier should be the favorite here though Safiullin has the game to win here as well.
Prediction: Grenier in 3
Peter Gojowczyk vs Yshai Oliel
Head-to-head: first meeting
A good draw for the Israeli wild card here. Oliel has played a mix of Challenger qualifying and ITF events in 2022 with a winning record but without a breakthrough deep run or a particularly impressive win. He will have the chance to make his name against Gojowczyk here though. The 33-year-old is 13-23 on the year and outside of his semifinal run at the Rennes Challenger two weeks ago, the German has failed to win back-to-back matches this season. Still, I believe his level might be a bit too high for Oliel but the 22-year-old will have a shot here.
Prediction: Gojowczyk in 2
Dominic Thiem vs Laslo Djere
Head-to-head: Djere 1-0 Thiem
After really struggling since the comeback, not getting a win until July, Thiem has started to get some momentum with a run to the Rennes Challenger final. The Austrian took a second-round loss to Hubert Hurkacz the next week in Metz, so he still has some way to go until he is near his best. Djere, 23-23 on the season, has had some high points this season, especially his fourth ATP final in Winston-Salem. Since then, the Serb took two sets off Andrey Rublev at the US Open but took losses to Albert Ramos-Vinolas at Davis Cup and Stan Wawrinka in Metz qualifying. Djere won their previous meeting at 2019 Rio de Janeiro, beginning the run to his biggest career title so far. On hard courts, I believe Thiem should have enough to win out this time.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
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