The 2021 edition of the ATP European Open sees a top class draw battling it out for the trophy. We have top seeds in action on Day 3 of ATP Antwerp, and it promises to be a great day of tennis. As ever at LWOT, we preview and predict all four matches for you.
ATP Antwerp Day 3 Predictions
Jenson Brooksby vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head to head – First Meeting
It’s been a great start to the young American’s career. It’s Jenson Brooksby’s first year on the ATP main tour and so far so good for Brooksby. The 20 year old dominated Reilly Opelka in the first round which is no easy feat. First look at the American and it feels that Brooksby possesses great control over the ball and that’ll be his strength going forward here.
Botic van de Zandschulp has been on the tour for some time but it’s only now people have started to notice the immaculate consistency and solid ball-striking he brings to the game. The Dutchman is capable of running away with sets as he did in the third set of his first round. Expect Botic to rely on his baseline game to thwart Brooksby but the young American has the variety in his game to unsettle the Dutchman.
Prediction: Brooksby in 3
Dusan Lajovic vs Arthur Rinderknech
Head to head – First Meeting
Despite having a worse record in 2021, Dusan Lajovic finds himself above Arthur Rinderknech in the rankings quite comfortably. That says something about the rankings freeze due to the pandemic. The Serb did well to beat Richard Gasquet in straight sets but the Frenchman should be more fitter and faster around the court as compared to Gasquet.
Rinderknech put up a solid performance in his first round and there’s no reason why he can’t beat the Serb here. Expect Lajovic to continue his poor 2021 season and Rinderknech to pepper the single hander and be more consistent to wrestle control of the match.
Prediction: Rinderknech in 3
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Cristian Garin
Head to head – Fokina 0-1 Garin
This should be interesting. It’s never a dull match when Alejandro Davidovich Fokina plays and it’ll be highly entertaining to see him battle Cristian Garin. The Spaniard is in with a shout here since Garin is vulnerable on fast indoor courts. That being said, Davidovich Fokina too plays his best on clay and only time will tell whether he’s able to exploit Garin’s weaker points.
Garin deserves his third seed here and if he can get into positions early then it’ll be tough for Fokina to break through. The Chilean demonstrated his improved game on faster surfaces at Wimbledon this year and if he sticks to it, he should get the win over the hot and cold Fokina.
Prediction: Garin in 3
Lorenzo Musetti vs Jannik Sinner
Head to head – First Meeting
We’ll get a first look at the top seed here in Antwerp. Jannik Sinner is in with an outside chance to play at the ATP Finals in Turin if he can string up good results here and then at Paris Masters. Sinner is extremely talented and strikes the ball as hard as anyone. He’ll be wary of Lorenzo Musetti here, because the younger Italian is capable of producing great tennis to go toe to toe with anyone.
Although this is their first meeting at the ATP main draw level, they must’ve faced off plenty of times in junior tennis. That backstory should make this match even more enthralling to watch. Expect Musetti to mix it up and nab a set but as soon as Sinner settles in, he should make the most of these fast conditions.
Prediction: Sinner in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
