Exciting tennis continues on Day 3 in Sweden, as two of the top four seeds make their debut in the ATP 250 in Bastad. Four matches will take place, with all eyes on Leo Borg, the son of legend Bjorn Borg. Additionally, stars such as Fransisco Cerundolo and Lorenzo Musetti begin their campaigns, with both players looking to snatch a wide-open title. The remaining four second-round matches will take place on Thursday.
ATP Bastad Day 3 Predictions
Filip Misolic vs Jozef Kovalik
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is definitely the underdog clash of Wednesday’s action, featuring two players coming off surprising first-round victories. Misolic achieved his first-ever Top 60 win, taking out Lajovic in two tiebreak sets and saving a set point deep into the second set. Similarly, Kovalik pulled off a big win in straight sets against Davidovich Fokina, with the Spaniard coming off a tough Wimbledon third-round defeat to Holger Rune. This match is definitely a toss up given both players’ confidence, yet Misolic may have the edge. He’s also playing on his most desirable surface, and at probably his favorite time of the year, as Misolic stunned the tennis world by reaching the Kitbuzhel final last July.
Prediction: Misolic in 3
[cta id=591 type=cta]
Luca Van Assche vs Fransisco Cerundolo
Head-to-head: First meeting
Cerundolo was one of the surprising disappointments at Wimbledon, as he lost uncharacteristically in the first round. While clay courts may be his favorite, he does well to adapt to all surfaces with his offensive game. Van Assche similarly loves the clay, and he already has the benefit of playing a first-round match. Ultimately, Cerundolo typically plays consistent tennis against competitors outside the top 100, so he should be able to shake off any rust early. Look for the Argentine to play some solid tennis, and reach the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 2
Federico Coria vs Leo Borg
Head-to-head: First meeting
Leo Borg sealed his name in the tennis world on Monday, after he took out Elias Ymer for his first-ever ATP victory. In front of a home crowd, the son of tennis legend Bjorn Borg certainly had to push through adversity and expectations, as his round one victory should be a good step moving forward. Coria isn’t the most challenging opponent as well, as his game can be exploited by power tennis. Interestingly, as Federico Coria is related to Guillermo Coria, this is a matchup of tennis relatives. Borg could win this with the crowd likely to be firmly behind him, but Coria has to be the favorite given his veteran experience at ATP-250 tournaments.
Prediction: Coria in 3
Lorenzo Musetti vs Matteo Arnaldi
Head-to-head: Musetti 1-0
An all-Italian matchup features the highest ranked player on Wednesday’s action, with Musetti looking to make the next big jump into the ATP top 10. The Italian star played solid, but unspectacular tennis at Wimbledon, losing easily to Hubert Hurkacz in the third round. Despite his career-high ranking, he’ll have to play some solid tennis, as he soon has to defend his first title and 500 points at the significant Hamburg Open. This should be a good match to see where his confidence is, as Arnaldi is rather new to the ATP tour. However, Arnaldi is no stranger to giant upsets, as he took out Casper Ruud in straight sets earlier this spring. Musetti might be rusty in the early stages, but he should get through in a tight two-setter.
Prediction: Musetti in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
