Four more quarterfinal berths will be up for grabs at the ATP 250 in Stuttgart. Top seed Alexander Zverev returns to play his first warm-up tournament before Wimbledon. Who will reach the last eight?
ATP Stuttgart Day 4 Predictions
Justin Engel vs Alex Michelsen
Head-to-head: first meeting
Engel registered his second ATP win and both have come on home soil (he beat Jan-Lennard Struff in Hamburg). Tournament organizers were convinced of his talent to grant him a wild card and the 17-year-old impressed on his grass-court debut. Taking out a seasoned veteran like Duckworth on this surface is no mean feat. Michelsen, for his part, saw off Gael Monfils in an entertaining three-setter. While the age gap between the pair is not too big, Michelsen is more complete and has so much maturity to make this a comfortable afternoon.
Prediction: Michelsen in 2
Learner Tien vs Brandon Nakashima
Head-to-head: first meeting
Tien is another promising talent who won his first professional match on grass courts albeit via retirement. The 19-year-old was locked at one-set all against Yoshihito Nishioka when the Japanese lefty was forced to quit. It was Nishioka’s fourth retirement in his last five matches. Not that Tien will care after his recent slump (lost three matches in a row coming to Stuttgart). However, this is a step up. Nakashima has made the second week of Wimbledon in the past and he’s making a real push to make the Top 32 and achieve a seeding spot before this year’s tournament.
Prediction: Nakashima in 2
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Head-to-head: Auger-Aliassime 1-1 Mpetshi Perricard
Auger-Aliassime is a two-time finalist in this tournament. This will be his third appearance and first since 2021. The Canadian has had a tumultuous time on grass in recent years with three straight first-round defeats at Wimbledon. His last match win at a warm-up event on grass was at 2022 Halle. The most certain outcome here is that both players will at least rack up the ace count into double digits. But I’m giving the Frenchman a slight edge to come out on top. His potent serve is a serious X-factor that can turn around any match.
Prediction: Mpetshi Perricard in 3
Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet
Head-to-head: first meeting
Zverev is the top favorite for the title. He can complete a German double after lifting the Munich title in the clay swing. His record in this tournament is shabby, to say the least. His only win came a decade ago although he last featured in Stuttgart in 2019. Moutet has played a match in Stuttgart, getting a chaotic win over Fabio Fognini in the first round. Grass has been a tricky surface for Zverev, but his game translates to all surfaces. He should cruise here.
Prediction: Zverev in 2
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
