It promises to be a memorable day at the ATP Mallorca Championships on Tuesday. Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez is playing the final tournament of his career in his home country and will square off against Australia’s Max Purcell in one of seven matches on the schedule. We look at four of the day’s matches in a separate article. Who do you think will advance?
ATP Mallorca Day 3 Predictions
Arthur Rinderknech vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Head-to-head: first meeting
It has been five years since Ramos Vinolas won a match on grass. Clearly, it’s not a natural surface for him. Grass is a surface with the tendency of making a mockery of reputation and ranking. Arthur Rinderknech lost in qualifying but stayed within the premises in Mallorca. He has been rewarded with a lucky loser spot. The Frenchman was the only player to take a set from Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s a week ago. He is the player with a huge upside on this surface and should make the most of his second chance.
Prediction: Rinderknech in 2
Lloyd Harris vs Roman Safiullin
Head-to-head: first meeting
Has Lloyd Harris turned a corner? This match could act as a barometer of where his level is at. Harris came through a testing qualifying route where he beat Jiri Vesely and Alex Michelsen. Likewise, Safiullin joined him from qualifying, and both players played supremely in winning their openers in straight sets. Harris lacked match sharpness for a while, but he seems to have accumulated sufficient minutes on the court to become competitive again. And he has a world-class serve that might tip the scales in his favor.
Prediction: Harris in 3
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Feliciano Lopez vs Max Purcell
Head-to-head: first meeting
It’s the last dance for Feliciano Lopez before he brings the curtain down on his 26-year playing career. He plans to retire at the end of this tournament. Lopez handled the disappointment of missing out on a main draw wild card at Queen’s with grace. Instead, he took a wild card into the qualifying draw where he pushed Arthur Rinderknech to three sets.
Max Purcell, for his part, has put together a terrific season on the Challenger Tour, streaking to win three titles in India. He sits at a career-high world #62. But quite a few factors could work in Lopez’s favor if he is to win. Purcell is playing for the first time since the French Open, which is over three weeks now. He’ll also play on grass for the first time since Newport last July. Technique and movement are staple components of grass-court tennis. And the surface demands instant adjustments. Lopez revels playing on the lawn and even at 41, his tennis IQ remains undiluted. The veteran has a shot at extending his playing days.
Prediction: Lopez in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
