Four competitive second-round matches are scheduled on Day 3 of the ATP Barcelona Open. Two of the top three seeds, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas, will be in action against capable opponents. As always, we at LWOT will offer predictions for every match on the slate. But who will advance to the quarterfinals?
ATP Barcelona Day 3 Predictions
Arthur Fils vs Pedro Martinez
Head-to-Head: Fils 1-1 Martinez
Arthur Fils has been super consistent in the last month and is on the verge of reaching another quarterfinal. The Frenchman had a tough first-round matchup against Pablo Carreno Busta, but did extremely well to win in straight sets. Pedro Martinez plays his best tennis on clay and has already defeated Fils on this surface last year. Playing at home will bring the best out of Martinez, and I suspect a battle. Fils has the superior form and level, but he must play close to his best to win this match.
Prediction: Fils in 3
Holger Rune vs Sebastian Baez
Head-to-Head: Rune 2-2 Baez
There were doubts regarding Holger Rune’s fitness coming into the Barcelona Open after he retired mid-match in Monte Carlo, but Rune looked good physically, and despite not playing at his best, he won his first-round match in straight sets. Rune will face a much more difficult opponent in the second round. Sebastian Baez, as usual, has won many matches on clay already this season and knows how to beat Rune on this surface. Baez’s rally tolerance and baseline prowess can bring out errors from Rune. However, if Rune is on his game, he has the potential to outplay Baez. I believe Rune will be up for this fight and prevail in the end.
Prediction: Rune in 3
Casper Ruud vs Hamad Medjedovic
Head-to-Head: first meeting
The defending champion, Casper Ruud, got off to a great start as he won his first-round match without facing a break point. Hamad Medjedovic can be a much trickier opponent as he has the weapons to trouble the Norwegian. Medjedovic took out Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and was solid behind his serve. I can see these two playing a close match, but Ruud’s experience on this surface should help him win this match.
Prediction: Ruud in 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Sebastian Korda
Head-to-Head: Tsitsipas 1-1 Korda
Stefanos Tsitsipas exposed Reilly Opelka’s game on clay, losing just four games and breaking Opelka’s serve four times. The four-time Barcelona Open finalist gets a chance to exact revenge on Sebastian Korda, who defeated him in Miami recently. Korda got a nice comeback win against Matteo Arnaldi in the first round. It was his first win of the season on clay, and he will have to be flawless to win another this week. Tsitsipas’ forehand will be the most effective shot on court, and Korda will find it harder to target the Greek’s backhand, compared to Miami.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
