With the Sunshine Double behind us, we welcome scrappy battles, bad bounces and good old fashioned line judges… the clay season is upon us! Our first ATP stop is in Estoril where we’re being treated to matches from Roberto Bautista Agut, Lucas Pouille, and Dominic Thiem. As always at LWOT, we’ve tried to predict the outcome of these matches.
ATP Estoril Day 1 Predictions
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Head-to-head: Bautista Agut 5-0 Kecmanovic
It’s a surprisingly lopsided head-to-head but does it really mean much? We think so–Roberto Bautista Agut doesn’t fear Miomir Kecmanovic’s game and will be willing to play patient tennis, the wall that is the Spaniard’s backhand causing Kecmanovic some issues. The last few weeks have been kind to Bautista Agut so we’re inclined to back a victory for the veteran even if it’s on his lesser-preferred surface.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 3
Lucas Pouille vs Nuno Borges
Head-to-head: First meeting
Whenever Lucas Pouille’s comeback starts to grow arms and legs, it’s stopped in its tracks with a loss just as quickly as it arrived. There are plenty of reasons to get excited about the Frenchman’s game on paper but, for whatever reason, he can’t find the same consistency point to point that he did when he reached the top 10 in the world. Nuno Borges is accomplished on all surfaces but will be very comfortable on home clay where he’ll be willing to let Pouille beat himself.
Prediction: Borges in 2
Jurij Rodionov vs Cristian Garin
Head-to-head: Garin 1-0 Rodionov
Neither Jurij Rodionov or Cristian Garin will be feeling particularly confident but it’s Garin that is proving the most cause for concern. Garin had a terrible Golden Swing, normally his happy hunting ground, and hasn’t won any matches with any conviction this year. The Chilean has lost that feeling of impenetrability about his game that he used to possess. Rodionov may have lost a few matches recently but there’s no denying his game has increased in size to enter the top 100–he’ll be able to dictate proceedings here.
Prediction: Rodionov in 2
Dominic Thiem vs Maximillian Marterer
Head-to-head: Thiem 2-0 Marterer
Dominic Thiem’s confidence is shot. His last match was a one-sided loss to Lukas Neymayer on clay, showing how little the Austrian believes in his game right now. Okay, Maximillian Marterer errs more on the side of aggression than consistentcy which could fall into Thiem’s favour. Even if the match does get close, however, when the pressure is higher, Thiem no longer trusts his forehand.
Prediction: Marterer in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane/USA Today Sports
