First-round ATP Masters action in Madrid will feature the return of Brazilian prodigy Joao Fonseca. The 18-year-old kicks off his European clay court journey in the Spanish capital in a match he will be expected to win. As always, we here at LWOT predict all matches on Day 2 of the penultimate Masters 1000 clay tournament before the French Open. But who will advance?
ATP Madrid Day 2 Predictions
Reilly Opelka vs Rinky Hijikata
Head-to-head: first meeting
Opelka is closing in on the Top 100 after a positive first quarter. He was a runner-up in Brisbane in his first tournament of the season (he defeated Novak Djokovic) and made the quarterfinals in Dallas. Hijikata is comfortably inside the Top 100 despite his negative win-loss record this year. Neither player is fond of clay, but Opelka’s superior serving on this fast-paced court might just tilt the scales in his favor.
Prediction: Opelka in 2
Matteo Arnaldi vs Borna Coric
Head-to-head: first meeting
At 28, Coric is very much a seasoned veteran. This is his 13th season on the professional circuit, and his recent resurgence might just be the spark needed to relaunch his career. He had to drop to the Challenger level to restore his confidence and form, and things are moving in the right direction. Arnaldi comes into this year’s Madrid Open extremely cold, having piled up nine losses this season. Coric is the man in form, and he’ll be rewarded for his aggression and fluid movement on this surface.
Prediction: Coric in 3
Lorenzo Sonego vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head-to-head: Sonego 3-2 Kecmanovic
This is quite an interesting rivalry. Although Sonego leads 3-2, he lost their only clay meeting in Rio three years ago. Since his Australian Open exploits, Sonego has reached just one more quarterfinal and that was at the ATP 250 in Marseille. In that time, he’s lost seven of nine matches. Kecmanovic has been more productive despite losing the same number of matches. He bagged an ATP title in Delray after saving match points. At altitude, Sonego might be the solid pick to win given his high-risk tennis, but his track record at this event is poor. Kecmanovic is likely to settle in these conditions and secure a hard-fought win.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 3
Joao Fonseca vs Elmer Moller
Head-to-head: first meeting
Given his meteoric rise, it’s easy to forget that Joao Fonseca made his Madrid debut last season and Alex Michelsen in his opening match. He returns to the Spanish capital with wings on his shoulders after a standout season on hard courts. This is where the true test of his clay court ambitions begins. Elmer Moller is on a six-match winning streak after winning the Oeiras Challenger last weekend and tallying two qualifying wins in Madrid. Still, it should be Fonseca who is favored to win this match thanks to his rapidly evolving all-court game.
Prediction: Fonseca in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui/The Desert Sun/USAToday Sports
