Day 1 at the ATP tournament in Santiago won’t yet feature the debut of local hero and defending champion Cristian Garin, but it will feature another Chilean hope in Nicolás Jarry, who will play the match of the day (on paper) against Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
ATP Santiago Day 1 Predictions
Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Juan Ignacio Londero
Head-to-head: first meeting
This is another very tight match in prospect. The two Argentines have struggled to put together wins so far this season and will be desperate to get some momentum going. Londero showed fine form during the qualifying stages, winning all four sets he played rather comfortably and that confidence might just be what he needs to pull through here.
Prediction: Londero in 3
Facundo Bagnis vs Bernabe Zapata Miralles
Their previous meeting ended up with Bagnis retiring after only eight games, so this one should be far longer and better contested. As with the other matches of the day, there is no clear favorite, and expect a very tight tussle. After beating Andy Murray in Australia, Bagnis has lost six matches in a row coming into this week, but Miralles hasn’t exactly been in hot form either. He does have the slightest of edges, however, though the match could conceivably go either way.
Prediction: Zapata Miralles in 3
Nicolás Kicker vs Thiago Seyboth Wild
Head-to-head: Seyboth Wild 1-0 Kicker
Their previous match came at the end of last year, with Seyboth Wild coming through with the win after a tough 2h30m fight. Another long, intense and tight encounter is expected here, with Wild starting as a very slight favorite.
Prediction: Seyboth Wild in 3
Nicolás Jarry vs Thiago Monteiro
Head-to-head: Jarry 2-0 Monteiro
Both previous matches these two contested were at Challenger level, both on clay. Although Jarry won both, the most recent one was a grueling three tiebreak affair that could have gone either way. Another very tight affair is expected here; both players have struggled to make deep runs so far this season, with Jarry’s semifinal in São Paulo the only notable result of the pair so far this year, but the home crowd support might be enough to swing the pendulum in favor of the Chilean.
Prediction: Jarry in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
