Second round action will conclude on Day 4 of the ATP Umag 250. Former champion Stan Wawrinka and current champion Francisco Cerundolo will both be in action seeking quarterfinal berths. Who will advance?
ATP Umag Day 4 Predictions
Francisco Cerundolo vs Carlos Taberner
Head-to-head: first meeting
Cerundolo’s semifinal defeat to Luciano Darderi in Bastad was one of the most surprising results of this past week. But the Argentine can console himself that he lost to the eventual champion. He must defend his title in Umag to avoid a Top 20 exit. Cerundolo knows there are no shortcuts and must work for victory against the clay-court specialist Carlos Taberner. The Spaniard snapped a three-match losing streak in the opening round against Pierre-Hugues Herbert and will give the top seed work to do.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 2
Luciano Darderi vs Chun-hsin Tseng
Head-to-head: first meeting
Darderi is coming off a massive title win in Bastad, where he defeated the formidable Argentinean duo of Sebastina Baez and Francisco Cerundolo en route. And he’s not conserving his energy with a Top 40 return looking like a realistic possibility this week. Tseng has taken out one Italian in the draw (he defeated Giulio Zeppieri in the opening round) to end a five-match winless run. He is inching closer to re-entering the Top 100 and is already having one of his most successful seasons on clay courts, reaching the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 in Rio and two Challenger finals. Darderi is oozing confidence, but lingering fatigue is something he will be hoping to avoid.
Prediction: Darderi in 3
Stan Wawrinka vs Damir Dzumhur
Head-to-head: Wawrinka 2-2 Dzumhur
This season is a slow burner for Wawrinka. His opening win in Umag was only his 12th in all competitions. The Swiss legend’s dedication at 40 is admirable, and he is capable of producing flashes of brilliance with that signature backhand. But when he is trapped in grind territory, then he is unlikely to sustain those line-painting shots, and that’s precisely how Dzumhur can tactically approach this match.
Prediction: Dzumhur in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
