There has been no shortage of entertaining tennis this week at the ATP Antwerp Open in Belgium and the entertaining action should continue in the last four. It was a stacked draw with big names that has whittled down to just four men all of whom will surely believe that they have a chance of lifting the title. As ever, we here at LWOT are offering our preview and prediction for both semifinal clashes. But who will come out on top?
ATP Antwerp Semifinal Predictions
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Richard Gasquet
Head-to-head: first meeting
Richard Gasquet still surprises everyone once in a while by rolling back the years with a week of sublime tennis at the age of 36 years old. The Frenchman has taken out quality opponents this week in Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Stricker and David Goffin which should give Gasquet confidence heading into this match. That being said, it has been a physically challenging week for the Frenchman and it is not clear how much he has left in the tank.
Felix Auger-Aliassime is fresh off of a title run in Florence and, with a place in Turin still on the line, he will no doubt be desperate to maintain his good form. The Canadian brings an all-court power game with few opponents able to withstand him from the baseline. At this point in his career, that almost certainly includes Gasquet. A particular concern for the Frenchman will be Auger-Aliassime’s topspin-heavy forehand. Expect the Canadian to be the player to reach the final.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 2
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Sebastian Korda vs Dominic Thiem
Head-to-head: first meeting
Sebastian Korda is in a rich vein of form after arriving in Antwerp on the back of a final showing in Gijon. The American has looked sharp so far at the ATP Antwerp Open, delivering some impressive performances to beat his countryman Marcos Giron, Karen Khachanov and Yoshihito Nishioka. He was particularly impressive against the Japanese, dispatching Nishioka in two comfortable sets.
He now takes on a resurgent Dominic Thiem. If the Austrian plays as well as he did against the top seed Hubert Hurkacz, expect a blockbuster match. Thiem found a rich vein of form himself in in Gijon, but he will need to be at his attacking best if he is to reach the final. It’s an extremely tough match to call, but Korda’s greater consistency from the baseline should just about give the young American the edge here.
Prediction: Korda in 3
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