The Tiriac Open, an ATP 250 tournament in Bucharest, Romania, will kick off the European clay court season. This is the longest-running sports event in Romania and has a rich history of brilliant champions. Three first-round matches will be played on Day 1, and as always, we at LWOT will offer our predictions for all the matches. But who will advance?
ATP Bucharest Day 1 Predictions
Nishesh Basavareddy vs Filip Cristian Jianu
Head-to-Head: first meeting
19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, is on a three-match losing streak at the Tour-level, but all this is a learning curve for the teenager. He has already shown great potential on hard courts and will look to leave a mark in his first Tour-level clay court match. The American player will face the local wild card, Filip Cristian Jianu, with strong crowd support. However, the Romanian will play his first tour-level match, and that’s where Basavareddy can take advantage.
Prediction: Basavareddy in 3
Laslo Djere vs Mariano Navone
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Laslo Djere is in tremendous form, winning 9 of his last 10 matches in all competitions, including a title in Santiago. That was a great week for the Serb as he won his first title since 2020. If Djere remains injury-free, he can do a lot of damage in the European clay season. Mariano Navone, last year’s finalist, will face the assignment of stopping Djere, but unlike last season, Navone’s form has dipped and he has dropped out of the top 50. Djere is the slight favourite for me.
Prediction: Djere in 3
Richard Gasquet vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head-to-Head: Gasquet 0-2 Zandschulp
Richard Gasquet is nearing his retirement, and every tournament he plays will be special for the fans. Gasquet first played this event back in 2004, which speaks volumes about his longevity. The Frenchman has won just one tour-level match this season, and I don’t expect him to make a deep run this week. Botic van de Zandschulp will play at the Tiriac Open for the first time and is a dangerous opponent for anyone when he is on. Gasquet still has the quality to show glimpses of his greatness but I expect Zandschulp to come out victorious.
Prediction: Van de Zandschulp in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
