The ATP Srpska Open quarterfinals are set in Banja Luka, but the tournament is by no means done and dusted. Novak Djokovic’s health still remains in question after a three-set battle against 18-year-old Luca Van Assche whilst recent Monte Carlo Masters champ Andrey Rublev and up-and-comer Jiri Lehecka will have other ideas about the eventual champion. We’ve tried to predict all the semifinalists at this fascinating stage of the tournament.
ATP Banja Luka Quarterfinal Predictions
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Jiri Lehecka
Head-to-head: First meeting
It’s quite hard to pick any weaknesses in Jiri Lehecka’s game. Perhaps the serve could do with a bit work but he has an incredibly polished set of groundstrokes from the back of the court. He should be a beast on this surface as his career develops.
Miomir Kecmanovic is in a similar boat at first glance to Lehecka, however, there is a little less pop from the baseline. The match might be close enough to go three, especially with Kecmanovic covering his heavy second-serve delivery so well, but the upward trajectory of Lehecka is too enticing.
Prediction: Lehecka in 3.
Alex Molcan vs Laslo Djere
Head-to-head: 1-1
Two players ranked outside the top 70, both underrated on this surface. Both Alex Molcan and Laslo Djere are usually pretty solid players on the tour but they really shine on their favourite surface.
It’s so tough to find a way through Djere who can also make his opponent pay for being passive. Molcan, however, continues to prove his 24-10 record on clay is no fluke, able to go to with his reliable venomous cross-court lefty forehand when the match gets incredibly tight. The Slovenian should take this one.
Prediction: Molcan in 3.
Damir Dzumhur vs Andrey Rublev
Head-to-head: Rublev 4-0 Dzumhur
After being off the tour for quite a while, Damir Dzumhur has accepted this wild card into his home tournament with open arms. There’s no reason the 30-year-old shouldn’t still have the game to get back to the top 100. Can he go much further than that though?
Andrey Rublev will likely put a stop to the Boznian. Even close to his best, the red line of Rublev has always been too high for Dzumhur to make a dent, owing to a 0-4 head-to-head record.
Prediction: Rublev in 2.
Novak Djokovic vs Dusan Lajovic
Head-to-head: Djokovic 2-0 Lajovic
The first two results of Dusan Lajovic’s tournament were hardly a surprise. Three sets against Filip Krajinovic, who is also fairly out of form, and an easy win against Gregoire Barrere, a player with little experience playing on clay at the ATP level.
At his best, he might actually have the weaponry to bother Djokovic here–but he’s not playing his best tennis. To boot, Djokovic is on an 11-match winning streak against fellow Serbs. Recalling his tournament in Belgrade last year, both Djere and Kecmanovic took the first set against him to which Djokovic responded, almost belligerently, by digging his heels in to win in three. Just in case there was any doubt, the world number #1 loves to make a point of showing he’s the Serbian #1.
Prediction: Djokovic in 2.
Main Photo Credit: Mitchell Gunn-USA TODAY Sports
