The ATP 250 event in Eastbourne enters the second day with six matches on the reel, including a repeat of last year’s qualifying match between former finalist Jenson Brooksby and Australian Aleksandar Vukic. Along with a couple of other matches in this piece, we offer our expert opinion on who will advance to the next round at ATP Eastbourne.
ATP Eastbourne Day 2 Predictions
Jenson Brooksby vs Aleksandar Vukic
Head–to–Head: Brooksby 1 – 0 Vukic
Jenson Brooksby has recent grass-court mileage in his legs after a three-set win over Martin Damm at Queen’s last week before running into the red-hot Francisco Cerundolo, who dismantled him in straight sets. The American knows this tournament well, having gone all the way to last year’s final before Fritz edged him out, and he’ll be looking to make another deep run with Wimbledon a week away.
Standing in his way is Aleksandar Vukic, who had to grind through qualifying, past two British hopefuls, just to earn a spot in the main draw. The Australians’ season has been a grind in the worst sense: 18 losses from 20 matches, with only a quarter-final run in Adelaide offering any comfort. There’s one complicating asterisk, though: Vukic beat Brooksby on this very grass in last year’s qualifying round. The head-to-head sits in Brooksby’s favor, and while Vukic has proven he can win on this surface when it matters, the American retains the edge at ATP Eastbourne.
Prediction: Brooksby in 3
Matteo Arnaldi vs Giles Hussey
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Matteo Arnaldi arrives in Eastbourne riding a wave of momentum from an extraordinary Roland Garros campaign that saw him eliminate Stefanos Tsitsipas, Francis Tiafoe, and compatriot Matteo Berrettini before illness cruelly ended his run at the semi-final stage. Having shaken off that setback, the Italian is eager to carry that confidence into the grass-court swing, and a first-round date with qualifier Giles Hussey looks a manageable opening assignment.
Hussey, 29, earned his place in the draw with back-to-back straight-set wins over James Duckworth and Marco Trungelliti, and will feed off home support, but the gulf in class here is real.
Arnaldi’s grass record may not turn heads, but his recent form, big-match temperament, and pedigree dwarf anything Hussey has shown at this level. Expect the Italian to advance without too many alarms.
Prediction: Arnaldi in 2
Ugo Humbert vs Mattia Bellucci
Head–to–Head: First Meeting
Ugo Humbert was one of the standout performers at Queen’s Club, grinding through a dramatic two-day battle against Hamad Medjedovic, saving four match points along the way before dismantling Rinky Hijikata in the quarters. Tommy Paul eventually halted his run, but Humbert’s grass-court form (4-2 this season) signals a player very much in his element on the surface.
His first-round opponent at ATP Eastbourne, Mattia Bellucci, is no pushover. The Italian qualifier turned heads in Halle by toppling defending champion Alexander Bublik, proving he carries real firepower on fast courts. He faded in three sets against Collignon and remains a significant step below Humbert in terms of surface pedigree, but the weapons are there to make this uncomfortable. Humbert should advance, though Bellucci could make him work for it in this battle of the lefties.
Prediction: Humbert in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
