Day 2 at the ATP event in Rio de Janeiro will feature a lot of exciting action, including the tournament debut of World #2 and last week’s Buenos Aires champion Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard will be by far the biggest star of the day but there will still be plenty of other exciting action in this day 2 of the tournament.
ATP Rio de Janeiro Day 2 Predictions
Daniel Elahi Galan vs Pedro Cachin
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both players are in terrible form: Galan has lost all of his last six matches, while Cachin has lost nine of his last ten. Both players have therefore an excellent opportunity here to get a much needed win and start turning their season around. On this surface, Cachin should have the slight edge and make it through to the second round.
Prediction: Cachin in 3
Jaume Munar vs Bernabe Zapata Miralles
Head-to-head: Munar 4-1 Zapata Miralles
This is a very tight match on paper; Munar has the clear head to head advantage, but Zapata Miralles had a breakthrough 2022 and he had an excellent week in Buenos Aires, making it to the semifinals before running into an unstoppable buzzsaw in Carlos Alcaraz. In this all-Spanish duel, Zapata Miralles should have the slightest of edges at this point in their respective careers.
Prediction: Zapata Miralles in 3
Carlos Alcaraz vs Mateus Alves
Head-to-head: first meeting
It’s no exaggeration to claim that an Alves win here would be one of the biggest upsets in ATP history. Alcaraz missed the beginning of the season through injury, but he easily won the title in Buenos Aires, showing that he’s ready for another big season in 2023. He’s easily the favorite to defend his title here in Rio and is very unlikely to be troubled in this first match, he should be able to win while barely dropping any games in the process.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 2
Main Photo Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
