ATP Estoril rolls on with clay court action featuring Spaniards Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Bernabe Zapata Miralles facing off, Portugal’s own Nuno Borges also has a second round match, and veterans Pablo Cuevas and Fernando Verdasco will battle it out in what promises to be an exciting day of tennis from sunny Portugal.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Bernabe Zapata Miralles
A battle of Spaniards, Zapata Miralles has three wins this week as a qualifier, and hasn’t dropped a set. He’s been excellent on clay this season, he qualified in Barcelona and Monte Carlo back to back and he’s making a solid run here without dropping a set. Davidovich Fokina was the finalist in Monte Carlo, his overall season was not impressive up until that point, but that final was the best result of his career. Given the surface and his recent form, Davidovich Fokina at a career high ranking is a favorite, I do have him returning to earth a bit this week, Zapata Miralles looks set to capitalize and get an upset. Zapata Miralles in 3
Nuno Borges vs Frances Tiafoe
Tiafoe is at a career high ranking, he was a quarterfinalist in Houston, he’s just 8-8 on the season though and clay is not his favourite surface. Borges at #131 in the world is a wild card this week and at a career high ranking. Borges has been dominating the challenger tour on clay and has won six matches in a row. This is another match where the favored player looks to be at a disadvantage a bit, Borges is playing better and prefers this surface. Playing at home he should be inspired to win another match. Borges in 2
Pablo Cuevas vs Fernando Verdasco
Verdasco leads the h2h 3-2, all meetings between these veterans have come on clay, Verdasco enters this draw as a lucky loser from qualifying, he hasn’t made a mark on the ATP Tour since 2019 but did find success on the Challenger Tour this season (11-4 record with a title). Cuevas has won two consecutive three setters and is here as a qualifier. He reached a challenger semifinal last month, he’s excellent on clay and is playing the better of the two this week. Cuevas should even the h2h. Cuevas in 3
Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs Soonwoo Kwon
Kwon eased past Benoit Paire in straight sets, Ramos needed three sets to get past Jordan Thompson. Ramos makes his living in clay 250s like this, Kwon is a talent but Ramos-Vinolas should have a lot of confidence going into a match like this and would be looking to make a deep run to keep his ranking high. Ramos-Vinolas in 2
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