The indoor ATP Gijon Open kicks off with a bang with a number of exciting matchups on day one, including several top-100 stars and one former-Grand Slam champion. As always, we here at LWOT, are offering our predictions for every match on the schedule. But who will come out on top in Spain?
ATP Gijon Day 1 Predictions
Thiago Monteiro v Benjamin Bonzi
Head-to-head: Bonzi 1-0 Monteiro
Though Benjamin Bonzi has lost 10 of his last 14 matches, his recent results don’t paint the whole picture. The Frenchman has kept every loss incredibly close (bar a retirement against Rune) and after initially struggling with nerves making the transition from the Challenger-level, he’s finally settled into the ATP. He turns up to give every and any opponent a hard time. The same could be said about Thiago Monteiro who is just coming off a gritty Challenger title in Genoa. His rally temperament, big forehand and middling serve really do make him far more comfortable on clay however. Monteiro will fight hard but Bonzi’s level should see him through.
Prediction: Bonzi in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Tommy Paul v Martin Landaluce
Head-to-head: first meeting
Martin Landaluce is making his ATP Tour debut at only 16 years old. The Spanish wildcard is #3 in the junior ITF rankings having won the US Open weeks ago. That’s all well and good but the Junior ITF Tour is vastly different from the ATP Tour.
Perhaps physicality won’t make a huge difference in the first-round of the tournament – it’s normally the consistency of the serve that sets the boys apart from the men. A former junior world #3 himself, Tommy Paul struggled before making the leap to the top-50 – his level is undoubtedly there now though. He’ll get his through his own service games more easily than Landaluce and will know exactly what to expect from the other side of the court.
Prediction: Paul in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Arthur Rinderknech v Carlos Taberner
Head-to-head: first meeting
Another Spanish player who almost certainly prefers clay over other surfaces. However, whilst Landaluce is largely an unknown quantity on the surface, we know Carlos Taberner will struggle to blow any opponent off an indoor-hard-court with sheer power alone. Arthur Rinderknech had a pretty dire start to the season but playing in his favoured conditions has notched him some impressive wins over the last few weeks. Taberner is solid enough to take a set but Rinderknech will be looking for a strong finish to a middling season.
Prediction: Rinderknech in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Constant Lestienne v Sebastian Baez
Head-to-head: first meeting
Sebastian Baez is on a brutal 11-match losing streak. Despite this, his loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open showcased some of the best tennis we’ve ever seen from the Argentinian. Form may be against him but it’s difficult to say for sure how this will affect Baez. Unfortunately what is certain is that the conditions don’t suit his game. Indoor-hard is very serve-centric and, whilst Constant Lestienne doesn’t have the greatest serve in the game, it should be markedly more effective than Baez’s. Expect a close contest, but this is the kind of match Lestienne should be winning as he looks to build on the best period of his career so far.
Prediction: Lestienne in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Dominic Thiem vs Joao Sousa
Head-to-head: Thiem 6-1 Sousa
Joao Sousa can play exceptionally well on an indoor-hard-court. Though he’s won 52% of his matches on the surface, he has reached the latter stages of many of the tournaments he’s played. His only win over Dominic Thiem came in one such run when he reached the final of St. Petersburg. He may be passed his best but he can still play aggressive front-foot tennis in steady conditions. This won’t be easy for Thiem. If he’s winning, he’s winning the hard way as he slowly pieces together his best level. Still, given some of his recent wins, we’ll go with the Austrian by a whisker.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
