As is always the case with it being played the week right before the US Open, the ATP 250 in Winston-Salem didn’t exactly feature a star-studded field, but it has still been a great week of tennis so far. With four players remaining it’s anybody’s guess who will take the trophy home. None of the four players left is expected to make big waves at the US Open given their recent form but a title here could well give them the necessary momentum for a run in the year’s last Slam.
ATP Winston Salem Semifinal Predictions
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head-to-head: first meeting
Both players are having very disappointing seasons but can turn them around for a title here. While Mpetshi Perricard is young and expected to have a long career as at least a solid ATP level player, for van de Zandschulp winning this event would arguably be the biggest achievement of his career so far. He has reached two finals, both in Munich, but is yet to actually win an ATP level event. Last year at the US Open he beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in what was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career, and he seems once again to be playing quite well at this time of the year. That said, this match is very likely to be closed by tiebreaks, and whoever can keep their composure and execute better in the biggest points will have the edge.
Prediction: van de Zandchulp in 3
Editor’s Note: This article was accidentally published early. Marton Fucsovics had not yet won his quarterfinal match at the time of publishing. We will leave the article as is and will update if necessary.
Sebastian Korda vs Marton Fucsovics
Head-to-head: Korda 1-1 Fucsovics
While it’s clear that his injury issues haven’t helped, Korda hasn’t really been able to deliver on the expectations many had of him. So far he has peaked at #15 in the rankings with only two titles, which is a disappointing resumé for someone with his level of talent and who has shown the ability to beat the likes of Alcaraz, Zverev, and Medvedev. Fucsovics is a veteran of the circuit still going strong, but the outcome of this match will depend mostly on what kind of level Korda can bring to the table.
Prediction: Korda in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
