Six matches are on the slate on Day 2 of the 2024 ATP Geneva Open. Former World No. 1 Andy Murray will mark his return to Tour-level action for the first time since late March. As always, we here at LWOT will offer our predictions for all Monday matches, with three of them in a separate article. So, who will advance?
ATP Geneva Day 2 Predictions
Fabian Marozsan vs Alexander Shevchenko
Head-to-head: Shevchenko 1-0 Marozsan
This is a rematch from Rome. Shevchenko comfortably defeated Marozsan in straight sets two weeks ago. But the Kazakh has lost his last two. Marozsan, meanwhile, missed out on a seeding spot at Roland Garros. Failure to defend fourth-round points at the Italian Open cost him dearly. But this is a match he should be expected to bounce back with the fast-playing conditions favoring his crisp and heavy groundstrokes.
Prediction: Marozsan in 3
Sebastian Ofner vs Rinky Hijikata
Head-to-head: first meeting
The only silver lining in Ofner’s season was the semifinal run in Hong Kong at the turn of the year. Since then, the Austrian’s season can be termed a nightmare, to say the least. He arrived in the Geneva qualifying draw with just two wins from his last eight matches and navigated two rounds to reach the main draw. With that said, Rinky Hijkata is the one player Ofner would handpick to play in his opening match. The World #79 looks short in match sharpness on the surface, having played hard-court tennis in April.
Prediction: Ofner in 2
Andy Murray vs Yannick Hanfmann
Head-to-head: Murray 1-0 Hanfmann
It’s a minor miracle that Murray avoided surgery after rupturing ankle ligaments in Miami. He has played two matches at the Bordeaux Challenger this past week in his first tournament since recovering from the injury. Yannick Hanfmann is not in great form coming to Geneva, but he has played some of his best tennis in Switzerland in the past, memorably headlining a maiden ATP final in Gstaad in 2017. Murray’s retirement is imminent. Any wins he can pick up this week would be a bonus because he is not expecting too much from himself.
Preidction: Hanfmann in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
