First round action continues at the ATP Antalya Open, with the remaining fixtures set to complete the second round bracket. We analyze and predict four of those clashes for you.
ATP Antalya Open Day 2 Predictions
Janko Tipsarevic vs Prajnesh Gunneswaran
Head to head – First Meeting
The Serbian veteran Janko Tipsarevic continues his comeback trail from injuries when he takes on India’s top player in Prajnesh Gunneswaran. Tipsarevic is still finding his way back, showing glimpses of his best self at the French Open before losing an agonizingly close five-setter to Grigor Dimitrov. Playing under a protected ranking, the Serb finds himself in a tough section of the draw and will quickly need to find his footing.
Gunneswaran would want to disregard his start to the grass court season, having failed to qualify at either Stuttgart or Queen’s. Having never met before, the Indian has the element of surprise against the experienced Serb but expect Tipsarevic to get through this one without any mishaps.
Prediction: Tipsarevic in 2
Damir Dzumhur vs Matthew Ebden
Head to head – First Meeting
Damir Dzumhur opens his title defense against the 31-year-old Matthew Ebden in their first meeting on the tour. Interestingly, the pair slated to play doubles together later, so this match should be a fun watch.
Coming to the match, grass suits Ebden better with his flat groundstrokes becoming much more effective, but the 5’9″ Dzumhur surprised one and all last year by winning here. Ebden was ousted in the first rounds of both Rosmalen and Halle, surely expecting to reverse that trend. It won’t come easy as Dzumhur will fancy his chances in his first grass-court match of the season.
Prediction: Dzumhur in 3
Ernests Gulbis vs Altug Celikbilek
Head to head – First Meeting
Remember the Latvian powerhouse Ernests Gulbis, who beat Roger Federer at the French Open 2014? Well, he looks a shadow of his former self, now having gone without a title since 2014. Returning to the grass courts would encourage him, no doubt, reaching the fourth round at last year’s Wimbledon. This year hasn’t been so kind to him, bowing out to Auger-Aliassime at Stuttgart before failing to qualify at Halle.
Standing in his way is the Turkish wildcard Altug Celikbilek, an upcoming player yet to make his mark. Celikbilek would enjoy the raucous crowd support, but the burning question this match poses is which Gulbis will show up on court? The distracted error-prone Gulbis or the one who can blast anyone off the court on his day? I’m hoping for the latter.
Prediction: Gulbis in 2
Andreas Seppi vs Bernard Tomic
Head to Head – Tomic 2-1 Seppi
Andreas Seppi and Bernard Tomic meet for the fourth time. They have met only once on grass, way back in 2010. Tomic won that in three sets but that match will likely have no bearing on the proceedings of this one. Both have a career high in the top twenty but have since waned off the tour.
Age seems to be catching up with the Italian Seppi while Tomic, still 26 years old, looks distant from the promising Australian that burst onto the tour. Form-wise, Seppi looks good to edge this one, having lost to Berrettini in the round of 16 at Halle whereas Tomic failed to qualify at Queen’s.
Prediction: Seppi in 2
Disagree with our Antalya Open Day 2 predictions? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
