It’s Thursday and that means that the players at the 2021 ATP Great Ocean Road Open will be competing for quarterfinal spots. There’s plenty of excitement coming including a big-serving clash between Reilly Opelka and Botic van de Zandschulp or one of the favorites for the event, Hubert Hurkacz, taking on Pablo Cuevas. Who do you think will come out on top? We also have predictions for the day’s other four Round of 16 matches.
ATP Great Ocean Road Open Day 4 Predictions
Jordan Thompson vs Mario Vilella Martinez
Head-to-head: First meeting
This has been a great run for Vilella Martinez, who upset the odds to qualify for the Australian Open and then took out Yannick Hanfmann and Nikoloz Basilashvili. However, this should be where the road ends. Jordan Thompson usually plays well at home and has an extremely solid game that won’t be as vulnerable to Vilella Martinez’s grinding the style. The Australian has much more ways to win the points than Basilashvili or Hanfmann had and his versatility should be the key here.
Prediction: Thompson in 2
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Salvatore Caruso
Head-to-head: First meeting
On paper, this seems incredibly tight. Salvatore Caruso has been performing admirably here so far, especially in his dismissal of Tennys Sandgren. Miomir Kecmanovic only got one match in, defeating Soon-Woo Kwon in a comfortable victory. Could more playtime be a factor that helps Caruso comes through this one? With little to separate the two, it could very well be a factor. On his worse days, Kecmanovic sometimes leaks errors, and Caruso is also very good at taking advantage of that with his all-around solid game.
Prediction: Caruso in 3
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Reilly Opelka vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head-to-head: First meeting
Don’t expect too many rallies in this one. Both players base their games around their serves and in rather fast conditions, they are likely to grab a lot of free points with them. However, Botic van de Zandschulp is just making his first steps on the main circuit. For inexperienced players, meeting someone who blasts such bombs as Reilly Opelka can sometimes come as quite a shock. As much as the return isn’t Opelka’s strength either, he should have an easier time adjusting.
Prediction: Opelka in 2
Hubert Hurkacz vs Pablo Cuevas
Head-to-head: Cuevas 1-0
In his sixth match of 2021, Hubert Hurkacz will face a top 100 player for the first time. It might not be tougher than before though, as Pablo Cuevas’s hardcourt game seems to have declined a lot recently. The Uruguayan took advantage of a rather comfortable draw to advance to the third round here but it’s unlikely he has what it takes to take out the Pole. Hurkacz is still yet to really be tested this season but it probably needs to be a better opponent than Cuevas. The head-to-head win on clay from two years back shouldn’t really be taken into consideration.
Prediction: Hurkacz in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
