We’re fast approaching the business-end of the week at the ATP Antwerp Open, with the stage set for an entertaining end to the tournament. Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will be looking to add to his solitary title this year whilst young gun Arthus Fils continues to make waves. Will Maximilian Marterer go one better than he did at Munich five years ago? As always, we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for both semifinals, as well as the action in Tokyo and Stockholm.
ATP Antwerp Semifinal Predictions
Alexander Bublik vs Maximilian Marterer
Head-to-head: Bublik 1-1 Marterer
Marterer has literally cruised to the semis in his debut campaign in Antwerp. He’s yet to drop a set and only Nuno Borges managed to break his serve. His career took a hit after a lengthy injury, but the hard-hitting German looks to be on course to finding his way back into the top 50. His serve is a big part of his game and he’ll be relying on it to take him to the final here in Antwerp.
Alexander Bublik is consistently inconsistent, but when he’s in the mood he’s almost unplayable. He arrived in Antwerp on the back of a miserable dip in form – losing six matches on the trot, including a disappointing second-round loss at his home tournament in Astana, but he’s somehow managed to turn things around with some brilliant tennis he’s always capable of producing.
This will be a closely contested match with two big servers trying to overpower one another. Alexander Bublik is the favorite to win this game for a reason. If he wants to win, he will.
Prediction: Bublik in 2
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Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Arthur Fils
Head–to–head: first Meeting
Top seed and world #7, Tsitsipas seems to be enjoying his tennis in Tokyo after being ousted in Shanghai by Ugo Humbert. The Greek hasn’t dropped a set and has lost his serve just once. He played impressively fluid tennis against Yannick Haffman in the quarterfinal and he looks to have regained his confidence heading into the semis. He went on an incredible 13-match winning run at the end of last year and into the start of this before a loss to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open early this year. He’s a long way from that now, but it’s been a promising week so far.
It’s been a breakout season for the French teenager Arthur Fils and he is one to look out for in the future. Ranked outside the top 100 at the beginning of the season, he is now an established top 50 player after some scintillating displays this year. It took him barely more than an hour to demolish Juan Pablo Varillas in the last eight, winning 6-0 6-3. He will pose a challenge to the Greek in this one.
Both players have won a title this year but Tsitsipas is the more experienced player and, at this stage in their careers, surely the more accomplished. The Greek will have plenty of motivation with his place in Turin not yet secured and should have just about enough to get the better of Fils.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Main photo credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports
