Day 4 at the ATP 250 in Astana has four matches on the cards and we delve in to analyze who’s likely progress to the next round. Who do you think will advance to the quarterfinals?
ATP Astana Day 4 Predictions
Tallon Griekspoor vs Sho Shimabukuro
Top seed Griekspoor jumps into the Astana party in the second round against the Japanese No. 4. Shimabukuro has a fine week in Astana, defeating compatriot Daniel Taro in qualifying and an even more decisive victory over Roberto Carballes Baena in the first round.
Griekspoor is clearly the better player, especially on hard court,s but he’s up against a player who’s enjoying his tennis at the moment in Kazakhstan. This will definitely go the distance and I expect the Japanese to nick a set but the top seed’s experience to take him through.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 3
Nuno Borges vs Sebastian Korda
Nuno Borges had not won a match in his last eight attempts and he needed a deciding set to go past veteran Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin in the previous round. A tremendous dip in form coupled with injuries has pushed his ranking almost out of the Top 100 and while he showed flashes of his brilliance in his last match, Sebastian Korda will be simply too good for a player who’s not fully in form.
Prediction: Korda in 2
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Marcos Giron vs Dominic Thiem
World no. 81 and 82 square off for a place in the next round in Astana. Dominic Thiem held on to survive the fightback of Juan Pablo Varillas in the last round and Giron managed to edge out Stanislas Wawrinka in 3 draining tiebreaks.
Thiem is definitely one of the best hard court players when he’s in the groove and there’s no reason he shouldn’t be confident against a quite dangerous but drained Giron. The American must certainly be exhausted after that lengthy match yesterday and I expect the Austrian to take advantage.
Prediction: Thiem in 2
Sebastian Ofner vs Alexander Bublik
The match of the round is Ofner against third seed and home favorite, Bublik. There are very few players who can beat a fully fit and focused Bublik but he is well renowned for his unpredictability. An eight-match winning run took him to the title in Halle and a Round of 16 defeat to Rublev at Wimbledon. He hasn’t managed to win a match since but this is his home tournament and he’ll certainly be fired up.
Sebastian Ofner put up an assured display to repel Martin Fuscovics in the previous round and he looks like he’ll have enough to silence the Kazakh fans and send the last man home.
Prediction: Ofner in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
