With two top-ten stars in action and six intriguing matches on the schedule, expect plenty of entertaining tennis on day four at the ATP Belgrade Open. As always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every match on the schedule, including Novak Djokovic vs Miomir Kecmanovic. But who will advance and who will fall to defeat?
ATP Belgrade Day 4 Predictions
Oscar Otte vs Aslan Karatsev
Head-to-head: Karatsev 2-0 Otte
Oscar Otte, who made his name in a five-set thriller against Andy Murray at Wimbledon last season, has built on that effort at the All England Club. The German is currently at a career-high world #67 and has played some solid tennis this year, albeit without a great deal of success at tour-level. But his confidence will surely have been boosted by a comprehensive 6-0 6-3 win over clay-court specialist Alejandro Tabilo in the first round in Belgrade.
Backing that up against Aslan Karatsev will be a tall-order however. The Russian won both of their previous meetings comfortably and boasts a fine record at the ATP Belgrade Open, where he reached the final last year, beating Novak Djokovic en route. He has had a particularly good season so far, certainly not in comparison with the standards he set last season, but these conditions favour him and it would be a real surprise if Otte got the better of him.
Prediction: Karatsev in 3
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Jiri Lehecka vs Andrey Rublev
Head-to-head: first meeting
Andrey Rublev has had a tough start to the clay-court season. He started his campaign in Monte Carlo against Alex de Minaur, digging out a 2-6 6-1 6-4 win over the Australian. But he then ran into Jannik Sinner. The clean-hitting Italian took awhile to heat up, but then played some excellent tennis to record a deserved 5-7 6-1 6-3 win. But this should be easier for the Russian. With the greatest of respect due to Jiri Lehecka, he is not in Sinner’s class.
Not that the Czech should be underrated. The world #93 is still only 20-years-old. He has also looked sharp so far this week, coming through the qualifying without dropping a set before dismissing Henri Laaksonen 6-2 7-5 in the first round. Rublev, however, has been a consistent presence in the top 10 over the last two years for a reason. He will surely have adapted to the rigours of clay-court tennis after Monte Carlo and should be able to get past Lehecka comfortably enough.
Prediction: Rublev in 2
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Karen Khachanov vs Thiago Monteiro
Head-to-head: Khachanov 1-0 Monteiro
Thiago Monteiro is another player having a fine week at the ATP Belgrade Open. The Brazilian started it in the qualifying, beating Giulio Zeppieri and Damir Dzumhur, both in three sets, before recording a more comfortable victory over Joao Sousa in the first round of the main draw. He backed that up with a superb 6-4 6-1 win over eighth seed and Serbian #3 Filip Krajinovic to reach his second clay-court quarterfinal in a row at tour-level.
He may also like his chances against Karen Khachanov. He did after all take a set off him in their only previous meeting, and on grass no less, albeit five years ago. Still, Khachanov has hardly been sparkling form of late with a semifinal showing in Qatar his best effort of the year so far. He also hasn’t yet taken to the courts in Belgrade after a first-round bye and a walkover. Still, if this turns into a baseline battle as it surely will, it is hard to see Monteiro coming out on top.
Prediction: Khachanov in 2
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