The Golden Swing comes to an end this week with the inaugural Chile Open in Santiago. Although the tournament has not attracted the strongest field and there should be plenty of exciting action for the fans to enjoy in the Chilean capital. But who will book their place in the second round on Day 2? We predict all eight matches. Four are in this article, and four in a second article.
Chile Open Day 2 Predictions
Andrej Martin vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Head-to-head: first meeting
After a promising start to the Golden Swing in Cordoba, where he reached the semifinals, Andrej Martin failed to win a match in both Buenos Aires and Rio, although he did take the first set off eventual champion Cristian Garin in Brazil. But his first-round opponent at the Chile Open has had a month to forget in South America, losing in the first round of qualifying at the Argentina Open before losing to Thiago Seyboth Wild in a bad-tempered clash in the first round in Rio.
Davidovich Fokina is nonetheless clearly a talented player with a bright future in the sport. But there are areas of his game that need real work, notably his serve which he has a tendency to roll in and his composure, which lost in Rio. Martin, in contrast, looks rather more at ease with his game, which is perhaps unsurprising as he is ten years Davidovich Fokina’s senior. Expect him to use his greater experience to his advantage in Santiago.
Prediction: Martin in 3
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Salvatore Caruso vs Jozef Kovalik
Head-to-head: Caruso 2-1 Kovalik
Salvatore Caruso played some excellent tennis on the European clay last season, reaching the third round at Roland Garros where, at times, he tested the great Novak Djokovic. But that has not translated into success during the Golden Swing for Caruso, at least in singles, with the Italian losing in the first round of qualifying in Buenos Aires and in the first round of the main draw in Rio. Jozef Kovalik has not exactly been in dominant form himself, but he did put together a creditable run in Buenos Aires where he came through the qualifying to reach the second round. And the mere fact that he has been winning matches has to make him the favourite to reach the round of 16 at the Chile Open, at Caruso’s expense.
Prediction: Kovalik in 2
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Filip Horansky vs Juan Pablo Varillas
Head-to-head: first meeting
Slovakia’s Filip Horansky has enjoyed real success in his efforts to qualify for main draws during this year’s Golden Swing, having qualified in both Cordoba and Buenos Aires, although he fell at the final hurdle at the Rio Open. But he failed to win a main draw match at both tournaments, losing to Pablo Andujar and Juan Ignacio Londero respectively. But in the Slovak’s defence, that is two tough draws against accomplished clay-courters ranked comfortably inside the top 100.
He may, as a result, feel more confident about his chances when he takes on lucky loser Juan Pablo Varillas. The Peruvian has enjoyed some success at Challenger-level, but as yet very little on the ATP Tour, although he has won two more ATP matches than Horansky. Regardless, it is Horansky who has been playing the better tennis of late and although Varillas may have nothing to lose as a lucky loser, the Slovak should be the man to reach the second round at the Chile Open.
Prediction: Horansky in 3
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Pedro Sousa vs Renzo Olivo
Head-to-head: Olivo 2-1 Sousa
Long rallies seem certain to be the order of the day here, with both men good movers but neither possessing massive power. Portugal’s Pedro Sousa has enjoyed a fruitful spell on the clay in South America, reaching his first final at the Argentina Open, although he was well-beaten there by Casper Ruud. Renzo Olivo, meanwhile, has been as high as 78th in the world and once beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Roland Garros, but currently finds himself on the cusp of falling outside the top 300. He did, however, play well in coming through the qualifying, beating Victor Hugo Nunez Mendoza and Varillas without dropping a set. But with Sousa in the form of his life, expect the Portuguese to edge this one.
Prediction: Sousa in 3
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