The grass-court swing comes upon all tennis fans pretty swiftly post Roland Garros and so far, it’s been excellent tennis right from the word go. In conjunction with the ATP Queen’s Club Championships, the ATP Halle Open has lived up to the billing as one of the most important tournaments in the lead up to Wimbledon. Now just two men remain in contention for the title – but who will come out on top?
ATP Halle Final Prediction
Alexander Bublik vs Andrey Rublev
Head-to-head: Rublev 3-0 Bublik
Andrey Rublev has had to fight his way through a tough draw to reach the final this week but the Russian is a mighty force at the 500s and he will love his chances to add to the trophy cabinet. His performance semifinal win over Roberto Bautista Agut, a Wimbledon semifinalist back in 2019, was a confident one and it’s easy to see why Rublev does well on grass. The Russian’s groundstrokes are very flat and the low bouncing grass courts help him dictate points much easier.
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He takes on Alexander Bublik in what could be described as a surprise final considering the Kazakh’s side of the draw also contained Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev. But Bublik’s game is well-suited to the grass and, when he wants to be, he can be a very dangerous opponent thanks to his powerful serve and excellent hands in the forecourt. He has shown that much at the ATP Halle Open, not least in beating Zverev at a canter in the last four.
Expect a tight battle between the two. But it is hard to ignore the fact that Bublik has lost on all three occasions that he has played Rublev. That could play on his mind and suggest this is not a matchup he particularly enjoys. Bublik may start the quicker of the two but expect Rublev to find his range and start to wrestle control of the match.
Prediction: Rublev in 3
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
