As the dust settles on the first week of action in Adelaide, a fresh cadre of players prepare to take to the courts in the South Australian capital. It should be an entertaining first day of tennis at the Memorial Park Drive Tennis Centre and as always we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for every match on the slate. But who will reach the second round at the ATP Adelaide International?
ATP Adelaide 2 Day 2 Predictions
Kyle Edmund vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head-to-head: Edmund 1-0 Kecmanovic
Miomir Kecmanovic started his 2022 at a blistering pace but never quite reached that peak again for the rest of the season. Despite this, it has to be said he still had his fair share of highlights, a number of ATP quarterfinals littering his CV from last year. Even though his forehand has its chalk and cheese moments, for the most part Kecmanovic can take care of business through sheer solidness alone.
Unfortunately, Kyle Edmund is unlikely to be anything but more business for Kecmanovic. His match against Jannik Sinner last week in Adelaide showed Edmund is far from ready to put up a fight on return meaning it’ll only be a matter of time before Kecmanovic secures the crucial breaks of serve he needs. There’s work to do in the Edmund comeback yet.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 2
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Brandon Nakashima vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Head-to-head: first meeting
It’s been slim pickings for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina since making the Monte Carlo final last year. He didn’t make another semifinal for the rest of the year and he ended his season on a five-match losing streak. On the other hand, that streak comprised of four indoor hard-court tournaments, conditions that reward great serving which isn’t Davidovich Fokina’s wheelhouse. This was also on the back of a fourth-round showing at the US Open.
The Spaniard isn’t playing quite as badly as some will believe but it will make little difference against Brandon Nakashima. The American’s stock is rising fast picking up his first titles in San Diego and the Next Gen ATP Finals with efficient service games and a backhand forged in steel. It’s tough to say just where the limit is for Nakashima–in these conditions, against a player lacking in some confidence, this should be relatively straightforward.
Prediction: Nakashima in 2
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Dan Evans vs Mackenzie McDonald
Head-to-head: Evans 1-0 McDonald
Watching Dan Evans sometimes, it’s difficult not to get carried away. He is genuinely one of the best defenders in the game, his slice practically unattackable and the pick-ups off his forehand wing often jaw-dropping. He absolutely deserves to be a member of the top-30 in the world, arguably the best in the business at what he does.
Therein lies the problem though. What Dan Evans does is relatively unique to the top-100, his height forcing him to come forward to finish points off in spectacular fashion at the net whilst limiting him from blowing aces passed his opponents. Evans’ matches will always be gritty and exciting–you can expect the very same from a fellow grinder in Mackenzie McDonald whose backhand should be able to withstand the test of Evans’ slice. We’re expecting three gritty sets with Evans’ genius tipping the scales.
Prediction: Evans in 3
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Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Alexei Popyrin
Head-to-head: first meeting
Dominating with the forehand, tall enough to get free points on the serve, middling returns and backhands and prone to injuries–Alexei Popyrin and Thanasi Kokkinakis are Australians born from the same cloth, playing very typical ATP top-100 tennis. Provided neither player is suffering from those aforementioned injuries, this should be a very close one with the spoils likely being separated by a tiebreak at some point during the match.
Given we rate both players very similarly, we’ll give the edge to the player that’s had the most promising results lately–Popyrin’s streak of four matches at last week’s Adelaide tournament was mighty impressive, particularly his win against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Prediction: Popyrin in 3
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