The ATP train arrives in Barcelona as players slug it out to win Spain’s second most prestigious tournament. Six matches are billed for the first day, including Holger Rune vs Albert Ramos Vinolas. As always, we at LWOT have the preview and prediction for all matches on the slate. But who will advance at ATP Barcelona?
ATP Barcelona Day 1 Predictions
Pedro Martinez vs Brandon Nakashima
Head–to–Head: Martinez 0 vs 2 Nakashima
Pedro Martinez withdrew from the quarter-finals of the Bucharest Open but still participated in Monte-Carlo, winning his first-round match against Lorenzo Sonego in three sets, although he had numerous opportunities to make the match much easier by converting more break points.
After losing the first set, he appeared poised for a strong comeback against Nuno Borges. He led 4-1 in the third set and was just two games away from winning. However, the Portuguese rallied to win five consecutive games to advance to the next round. Martinez will be eager to recover from such a tough loss as he faces Brandon Nakashima in the first round.
The young American struggled in his match against Roberto Bautista Agut in the Monte-Carlo first round, losing 6-2 6-4. This performance came just two days after he made it to the semi-finals in Houston, marking his first clay court tournament of the season. As he always does, Nakashima will not go down without a fight, but the more experienced Spaniard on clay should find a way to edge out a win in front of the home fans.
Prediction: Martinez in 3
Hamad Medjedovic vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
This match hinges on Medjedovic’s ability to neutralize Mpetshi Perricard’s serve and exploit the clay surface with which he is more familiar. Medjedovic’s superior clay court experience and return game give him an edge in longer exchanges. Mpetshi Perricard’s serve is formidable, but his lower return stats suggest he’ll struggle to break Medjedovic consistently.
Given the clay surface and Medjedovic’s grinding style, the match is poised to go the distance. However, Medjedovic’s fresher legs and comfort on clay tilt the scales in his favour. Expect a tight contest, with Medjedovic’s baseline consistency prevailing over Mpetshi Perricard’s power.
Prediction: Medjedovic in 3
Holger Rune vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Head–to–Head: Rune 0 vs 2 Vinolas
Holger Rune had to withdraw from his opening match in Monte-Carlo against Nuno Borges after he reported experiencing food poisoning during the event. However, he is now healthy and eager to make a strong showing in this tournament. The Dane is 11-8 this season but has yet to win a match on clay. He has also not defeated the Spanish veteran in two attempts on clay, and this will undoubtedly be a tricky encounter for him.
The 37-year-old Vinolas, who once reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in 2016 and achieved a ranking of 17 in the world, has now fallen to 234th. Ramos-Vinolas was unsuccessful in the second round of qualifying for Monte-Carlo, but he is in the main draw of his home event. He should have the guile, experience, and motivation to take a set, but this younger opponent will have too much firepower for the Spabiard to advance to the next round.
Prediction: Rune in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
