It’s been a fun and crazy first two rounds, but now we’re up to the quarterfinals of the Rio Open. Who will advance to Saturday’s semifinals? I’ll give you my best looks at it.
Rio Open Quarterfinals Predictions
Laslo Djere vs Casper Ruud
Both players have played some inspired tennis this week. The Serbian’s performance against Dominic Thiem in the opening round was the best of his career and he showcased his talent and ability to stay with the top players. Norwegian Next-Gen player Casper Ruud reached the quarterfinals of this event for the second year in a row, knocking out the final seed left in the draw, Joao Sousa. This is another tough match to predict as both are evenly matched players, but I believe Djere, the more experienced of the two, will come through in three sets.
Prediction: Djere in 3
Aljaz Bedene vs Hugo Dellien
Chilean qualifier Hugo Dellien has over ten years experience as a pro, but this undoubtedly has been one of the best weeks of his career. Ranked currently at 113th in the world, Dellien has been playing some great tennis this season. He pushed experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas to three sets in Cordoba and has already recorded impressive victories this week against Guido Andreozzi and Roberto Carballes Baena. However, in Aljaz Bedene, Dellien will have a difficult match. The Slovenian, although struggling for consistency, has established himself inside the top 100 and has more experience in the big events. I expect the experience of Bedene will see him through in straight sets.
Prediction: Bedene in 2
Juame Munar vs Felix Auger Aliassime
The most exciting match of the day sees two Next-Gen players, Jaume Munar and Felix Auger Aliassime, against each other on Quadra Guga Kuerten. The Canadian had an extremely impressive straight sets victory over Fabio Fognini in the first round and has been playing some great tennis of late. The same can be said for the Spaniard, who qualified for the Next-Gen finals in Milan last year. Munar has a brilliant forehand and is a solid all-round player, especially on clay. I think this has the potential to be a three hour epic and I’m predicting the Spaniard to get the win in three tight sets.
Prediction: Munar in 3
Albert Ramos Vinolas vs Pablo Cuevas
The final quarterfinal of the day features the two most experienced players left in the draw, and with all the seeded players knocked out, both these players will be seeing themselves at the favourite for the title. The pair have played each other before, with the Uruguayan dominating the head to head 7-1, with most of those matches going to a deciding set. I expect this match to be a tight one and there’s not much to choose between the pair. Both players will be feeling extra pressure as this is a great opportunity for both of them to win an ATP 500 title and get vital ranking points on the board. I expect a tight three setter, with Cuevas getting the win.
Prediction: Cuevas in 3
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