It should be an entertaining day of semifinal action at the ATP Florence Open. A number of star names are set to take to the courts in Tuscany and all four men left in contention will believe that they have what it takes to lift the title. But who will come out on top?
ATP Florence Semifinals Predictions
J.J. Wolf vs Mikael Ymer
Head-to-head: first meeting
J.J. Wolf opened his campaign at the ATP Florence Open by rallying from a set down to beat home hope Francesco Maestrelli and the American backed that up by dispatching his compatriot Maxime Cressey in straight sets for the loss of only seven games. That a quarterfinal clash with the mercurial Kazakh Alexander Bublik. Wolf was under pressure for much of the match, but he finished strongly to record a 3-6 7-5 6-1 victory.
Mikael Ymer, meanwhile, started his week in the qualifying, beating Andreas Seppi (in straight sets) and Borna Gojo (in three) to book his place in the main draw. There he dismissed Tim van Rijthoven in the first round before battling past fifth seed Aslan Karatsev to reach the quarterfinals. He recorded another dominant victory there over Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena to reach his third tour-level semifinal of the season.
There does not look to be a great deal between this pair. Neither is blessed with massive firepower from the back of the court, but both are excellent defenders and will give little away. Ymer is more experienced than Wolf, however, and the Swede feels like a player who is due a breakout result. Wolf clearly has a bright future, but in this match expect Ymer to have just about too much for the former-college #1.
Prediction: Ymer in 3
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Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Lorenzo Musetti
Head-to-head: Musetti 2-1 Auger-Aliassime
This should be a watchable match. But Felix Auger-Aliassime will have the edge heading into the contest. The Canadian looks more at home on hard courts than Lorenzo Musetti and should be able to exploit Musetti’s weakness (his one-handed backhand) with his powerful topspin forehand. Musetti has been the ball very cleanly so far this week and serving well; he is yet to drop a set in beating Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Mackenzie McDonald, but Auger-Aliassime should present a different challenge.
The Canadian is a more complete player than either Zapata Miralles and McDonald. For one thing, he has rather more firepower than either the Spaniard or the American. That may spell trouble for Musetti who likes to take big cuts at the ball. This could go either way, but the likelier winner is surely Auger-Aliassime. His game is better suited to these conditions and he has played well enough in wins over Oscar Otte and Brandon Nakashima to suggest he can reach the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 2
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