Was it all a dream? The grass season came and went so quickly, Carlos Alcaraz establishing himself atop the summit of men’s tennis. We’re immediately back in action in the mini-clay-swing post-Wimbledon. We’re looking to predict some of the matches on Day 4 at the ATP 250 event in Gstaad.
ATP Gstaad Day 4 Predictions
Lorenzo Sonego vs Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Head-to-head: Ramos-Vinolas 2-0 Sonego
At his best, Albert Ramos-Vinolas would probably come out pretty favourably in this match-up. Extreme consistency versus the hot and cold shots of Lorenzo Sonego would likely tip the percentages in the Spaniard’s favour. Ramos-Vinolas has a dismal 7-19 record this year, however–perhaps the veteran is finally slowing down.
In form or not, portions of the match will be painful for Sonego as he looks to break down the wall on the other side of the net. Ramos-Vinolas is still scoring the odd win and he’s good at controlling the ball at altitude so we’re going to back the upset.
Prediction: Ramos-Vinolas in 3
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Pedro Cachin
Head-to-head: First meeting
Pedro Cachin has plenty of firepower but against somebody who can find his backhand better than most, it’s tough to feel incredibly confident in him. Looking at some of his losses on clay this year–Baez, Coric, Garin–it’s possible he struggles in this sort of match-up.
Though Roberto Bautista Agut isn’t the most accomplished clay-courter in the world, he can trade backhands for days. In the slightly faster conditions, even greater pressure than usual will be on Cachin to play with depth off the backhand.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 2
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Juan Pablo Varillas vs Facundo Bagnis
Head-to-head: Varillas 4-2 Bagnis (including Challenger level)
Juan Pablo Varillas was the man at Roland Garros. His penchant for playing under pressure and his huge forehand took him all the way to the fourth round. The Peruvian is still prone to an upset, however, as he does have peaks and troughs to his game.
Will he peak against Facundo Bagnis? We don’t feel confident in the lefty’s recent level. Despite making it through qualifying, his opponents haven’t been particularly challenging on clay (Rinderknech prefers a faster surface). Varillas should have the big game required to get through this one.
Prediction: Varillas in 3
Stan Wawrinka vs Jaume Munar
Head-to-head: First meeting
Offense vs defense. Jaume Munar is one of the grittiest players on tour and will do everything he can to stave off the huge strikes of Stan Wawrinka. The Spaniard is arguably yet to pull off a huge win on this surface, however. Pure consistency can only do so much in the face of a clear power disparity.
At altitude, on home turf, with an underrated first serve delivery, decent slice (good for altitude) and booming strikes, Wawrinka actually has a real chance at the title here. Munar will struggle to keep up.
Prediction: Wawrinka in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
