On day two at the Vienna Open, a number of the ATP’s biggest stars will be in action with six matches on the slate in the Austrian capital. We here at LWOT will be offering predictions for all six, including top seed and Austrian #1 Dominic Thiem’s blockbuster clash with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. But who will book their place in the second round?
Vienna Open Day Two Predictions
Philipp Kohlschreiber vs Jannik Sinner
Head-to-head: first meeting
Jannik Sinner continued his impressive season with a run to the last four at the European Open, which marked the first time he had made a semifinal at tour-level. The Italian clearly has a bright future in the game and he will no doubt be eager to further embellish his credentials with another deep run at the Vienna Open. But he could face a stern test in the first round when he takes on the German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber.
The German is no longer in his prime, having fallen down to 79th in the ATP rankings from a career-high of 16th in the world, but not for nothing has he picked up 466 wins on tour. He spreads the court excellently and his one-handed backhand remains one of the best in the sport. However, he has unquestionably lost half a step over the course of this season and against the youthful exuberance and power of Sinner, that could prove terminal to his chances.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
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Hyeon Chung vs Milos Raonic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Milos Raonic has not won a match on the regular tour since his second-round retirement in Montreal. Injuries have plagued the Canadian’s career, particularly in the last three years, and he could well be in for a tough early test up against South Korea’s Hyeon Chung. Chung, who won the NextGen Finals in 2017 and backed that up by making the last four at Melbourne Park, has had injury struggles of his own since and has been out of action for much of this year.
But he has shown glimpses of the tennis that once made him such a highly regarded prospect of late, reaching the third round at the US Open as a qualifier before beating Marin Cilic en route to the last eight at the Japan Open. However, he then lost in qualifying in Stockholm. Nonetheless, he may feel confident about his chances here. He remains an excellent returner and with Raonic not yet back to full fitness, he could well pick up an important win at the Vienna Open.
Prediction: Chung in 3
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Guido Pella vs Aljaz Bedene
Head-to-head: Pella 1-0 Bedene
Guido Pella might be known principally as a clay-court specialist, but he has shown this year that he cannot be counted out on other surfaces with some impressive performances, not least a run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. His forehand is a useful weapon and he moves very well. But perhaps the most important reason in his marked improvement away from the clay has been his deft touch in the forecourt, which has added an extra-dimension to his game.
One Aljaz Bedene would surely love to replicate. The Slovenian remains a solid pro, but he lacks the power to hit through the best in the sport and the consistency to outlast them. That said, he impressed in reaching the final at the Moselle Open, where he lost narrowly to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and played some good ball to come through the qualifying in Vienna without dropping a set. But he seems destined to struggle up against the excellent defence of Pella.
Prediction: Pella in 2
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