The final week before the French Open on the ATP Tour contains a pair of 250 events in Geneva and Lyon. There is a very strong field of players in Lyon, which is demonstrated by some fascinating matches on the second day of the tournament. This includes former US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe’s opening round match. As always, we at LWOT predict all the matches taking place in Lyon and in Geneva, but which players do you think will progress to the next round?
ATP Lyon Day 2 Predictions
Pavel Kotov vs Pedro Cachin
Head-to-head: Kotov 1-0 Cachin
Cachin broke a very long 15 match losing streak at the Madrid Open, before losing to his idol Rafael Nadal. Unfortunately, he was unable to build on that momentum in Rome after that. Kotov can be inconsistent, but when he finds his range, the Russian’s powerful style of tennis is difficult to live with. Although he came through qualifying, it is still difficult to back Cachin at the moment after a very tough season so far for the Argentine.
Prediction: Kotov in 2
Dominik Koepfer vs Javier Barranco Cosano
Head-to-head: First meeting
Koepfer enters this event after a strong showing at the Italian Open. He progressed all the way to the third-round, including a straight sets triumph against Frances Tiafoe. When his game is thriving, clay suits him better than any other surface. Barranco Cosano is much lower ranked than the German, although he could be a tricky opponent to face on clay. However, toppling Koepfer is still likely to be too great a challenge for the world No. 254.
Prediction: Koepfer in 2
Frances Tiafoe vs Jaume Munar
Head-to-head: Munar 3-0 Tiafoe
The head-to-head looks alarming for Tiafoe, although they have not played for three years. More worrying for the American is the fact he has lost all three of his matches this season on European clay-courts. That means Munar will believe he can defeat the No. 5 seed in Lyon. Despite his form, Tiafoe’s best tennis is better than the Spaniard’s. But he has not produced that very often this year and another disappointment heading into the French Open could be on the cards.
Prediction: Munar in 3
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
