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Final week we sadly heard the information that World #2 and 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal had withdrawn from the ATP 500 occasion in Rotterdam. Even with the lack of the famous person, the five hundred occasion within the Netherlands nonetheless boasts a really robust subject. With new World #3 Daniil Medvedev within the subject after his nice run to the Australian Open final, there’s additionally the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, and David Goffin simply coming off a title win in Montpellier. With a subject this robust we might be in for a deal with of an occasion. Let’s look forward at Day 1 matches.
ATP Rotterdam Day 1 Predictions
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Kei Nishikori
Head-to-head: Nishikori 1-0
Whenever you take a look at Kei Nishikori’s profession you simply marvel the place all of it went incorrect, from making a Grand Slam remaining beating Raonic, Wawrinka, and Djokovic en path to main a Masters remaining towards Nadal by a set and break on clay, it simply all by no means clicked. An enormous motive for that thoughts you’re the quantity of accidents he’s had and that’s precisely why he’s presently ranked #43 on this planet.
Felix Auger-Aliassime alternatively would possibly simply be the largest disappointment of all the kids within the recreation proper now. We’ve seen numerous instances that the game is all there, his capability, photographs off each wings and serve are all nice, it’s simply the pinnacle which lets him down. Being 0-7 in finals and 0-14 in units in addition to dropping from two units to like up within the fourth spherical of a Grand Slam doesn’t assist construct the arrogance.
However both manner, that is fingers down the match of the primary spherical. Coming off 4 losses in a row, I sadly count on a fifth developing for the Japanese. The younger Canadian ought to possess an excessive amount of firepower off each wings and an efficient serve indoors which makes this a troublesome opener for Nishikori.
Prediction: Auger-Aliasssime in 3
Marton Fucsovics vs Reilly Opelka
Head-to-head: 0-0
Reilly Opelka’s rise to the highest 40 of the sport has been all the way down to largely one shot, his serve, however that’s doing him an understatement. Over the previous few years he’s truly quickly improved his all around game, way over different large servers similar to John Isner and Ivo Karlovic.
Marton Fucsovics is somebody you don’t need to be enjoying in case you’re having an off day, whereas there’s no killer weapon, every thing is strong and that’s how he managed to beat three time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka on the Australian Open only a few weeks in the past. It’s not flashy, it’s not overly thrilling nevertheless it will get the job performed.
With Rotterdam being indoors regardless of not being In the most effective of kind recently, I reckon the American will serve nicely sufficient and create sufficient possibilities to show his fortunes round right here. If he does he might possess a risk additional on within the occasion as nobody would need to play somebody together with his recreation in an occasion like this.
Prediction: Opelka in 2
Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Cameron Norrie
Head-to-head: 0-0
It’s been an fascinating yr or so for Basilashvili for causes that don’t need to be discussed however the final reality is he’s fortunate to be ranked at 40 on this planet purely based mostly on the way in which the rankings system is working since COVID-19. Should you’re questioning why I’m saying that, he’s misplaced 23 of his final 29 skilled matches, many in straight units.
Regardless of Cameron Norrie being ranked 25 locations decrease, the Brit put up displaying in Melbourne on the Australian Open making the third spherical dropping to Rafael Nadal, no disgrace in that. After qualifying for Rotterdam with a powerful straightforward win towards Andreas Seppi, there’s little question he’s prepared for what’s going to come back within the first spherical and I count on him to get the win with out a lot fuss.
Prediction: Norrie in 2
Andy Murray vs Robin Haase
Head-to-head: Murray 4-1
The previous couple of weeks haven’t been fairly for the previous World #1, from dropping the Biella Challenger remaining routinely to Illya Marchenko issues solely acquired worse, dropping to Gerasimov 7-6 6-1 final week in Montpellier. With one other ATP occasion wild card the Brit has to search out kind if he desires to get again into the highest 100 and with a tough draw right here he’s going to want to do it as quickly as potential.
His opponent Robin Haase isn’t the participant he as soon as was once both although, heck, he truly beat Murray on the very occasion in 2008 and led him two units to like on the US Open in 2011 again when he featured contained in the world’s prime 50.
Given the scenario and the truth that Robin Haase’s greatest weapon is his serve, I believe that is maybe the best opening match for Murray. With among the best returns of serve the sport has ever seen I count on the three time Grand Slam champion to get sufficient balls again into play to grind out errors from the house favourite and get his first primary tour win in six months.
Prediction: Murray in 2
Principal Photograph from Getty.
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