The final season of Stan Wawrinka’s legendary career will continue on Day 2 of the ATP 250 in Geneva. He is guaranteed to receive outstanding support from his home Swiss fans against Raul Branaccio. We here at LWOT split the matches on the slate, including Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, between two articles; but which players do you expect to win?
ATP Geneva Day 2 Predictions
Alex Michelsen vs Sebastian Baez
Head-to-head: First meeting
Baez, a clay-court specialist, must be very disappointed with his recent results on the dirt. Since the swing started in March, he has only managed four victories across six tournaments. Michelsen’s results have also been pretty poor. There is a nice clash of styles for fans to enjoy between Michelsen’s massive hitting and Baez’s athleticism. Despite his patchy form, I feel the Argentine will prevail by being steadier when it matters most.
Prediction: Baez in 3
Francisco Comesana vs Valentin Royer
Head-to-head: Comesana 1-0 Royer
Comesana is another man best known for his results on clay, who has not fired since March. An opening round defeat to Pablo Carreno Busta at a Challenger Tour event in Valencia was his latest setback. Royer won a Challenger tournament in Oeiras last month, but his form since then has been dire. It feels unlikely that Comesana will go the entire clay-court swing without picking up some form. An ATP 250 tournament gives him a better chance of a deep run than the French Open.
Prediction: Comesana in 2
Stan Wawrinka vs Raul Branaccio
Head-to-head: First meeting
Wawrinka’s continued efforts as a 41-year-old deserve immense respect. However, his qualifying victory in Rome against Stefano Travaglia before withdrawing from the event ended a run of five consecutive losses. World No. 240 Branaccio, despite a good semifinal run in Ostrava before this tournament, is among the best draws the three-time Grand Slam champion could have gotten. Nothing is guaranteed for Wawrinka at this stage of his career, but I think he will have just enough class left to win in front of his home fans.
Prediction: Wawrinka in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
