The tennis season never stops. While fans in Bastad will be unable to watch Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz, they’ll see other Top 100 stars compete on Monday in the ATP Swedish Open. LWOT predicts two of the final qualifying matches and the two main-draw matches scheduled on the clay, including two former Top 20 players.
ATP Bastad Day 1 Predictions
Duje Ajduković vs Alejandro Moro Canas
Head-to-head: First meeting
Ajdukovic hasn’t established himself as a mainstay on the ATP Tour just yet, but he’s won an impressive amount of ATP Challenger Tour matches, including 57 on clay during his career. Meanwhile, Moro Canas made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon this year and just made a quarterfinal of an ATP Challenger Tour event on the clay. Both players will inevitably feel pressure with a looming opportunity to play an ATP Tour match, so it should come down to whoever can control their nerves.
Prediction: Moro Canas in 3
Otto Virtanen vs Jaime Faria
Head-to-head: First meeting
Virtanen came off a hard-fought win in the first round of qualifying against a home crowd favorite. For Faria, he defeated former Top 40 player Andrey Kuznetsov on Sunday 6-3 6-4 and won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in May. Faria has more clay-court experience as a younger competitor on tour, but Virtanen may have more confidence after he pushed Tommy Paul to five sets at Wimbledon. Look for Virtanen to keep up his solid form and clinch a spot in the main draw.
Prediction: Virtanen in 3
Pavel Kotov vs Cristian Garin
Head-to-head: First meeting
Kotov may soon be a face to know on the ATP Tour, as he inches closer to the Top 50 by the week. Garin, on the other hand, seems to be well past his peak. Garin has won five ATP titles on clay courts and has more clay-court prep after reaching the quarterfinals of a Challenger event last week. Meanwhile, Kotov is coming off a crushing five-set loss to Jordan Thompson at Wimbledon, and may not be as prepared for the vastly different clay courts. It should be an up-and-down match, but picking the upset for this one.
Prediction: Garin in 3
Cameron Norrie vs Jozef Kovalík
Head-to-head: First meeting
Kovalik will relish the opportunity to play Norrie on arguably the Brit’s worst surface. The World No. 109 is also coming off a recent Challenger title in Karlsruhe two weeks ago, impressively taking out four consecutive home favorites from Germany, and then defeating the top seed in the final. Norrie has also never played an ATP Tour summer clay event in his career. In the end, Norrie’s consistency will help him out in the later stages of the match, but Kovalik will make this competitive.
Prediction: Norrie in 3
Main Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
