The first four ATP Round of 16 matches will be played on Day 3 in Den Bosch. This includes a battle of the Frenchmen between Ugo Humbert and the hugely talented Arthur Fils. As always, we at LWOT give our predictions and analysis for all the contests taking place. But which players do you expect to progress to the quarterfinals?
ATP Den Bosch Day 3 Predictions
Gijs Brouwer vs Adrian Mannarino
Head-to-head: Brouwer 1-0 Mannarino
Brouwer, who is currently ranked outside the Top 200, got a terrific victory against Jakub Mensik in the last round. Mannarino was below his best in his opening round triumph. Nonetheless, the Frenchman is still an excellent player on grass. He is likely to improve in the Round of 16 after shaking off some rustiness in his first match of 2024 on the surface. Brouwer will try and be aggressive, but Mannarino is very adept at redirecting pace on grass.
Prediction: Mannarino in 2
Tallon Griekspoor vs Mackenzie McDonald
Head-to-head: Griekspoor 2-0 McDonald
McDonald got his first win above Challenger Tour level since the Australian Open, in the opening round, having missed most of this season with an injury. He defeated local favourite Botic van de Zandschulp to achieve that, but beating a second Dutchman in a row will take a very good performance. Grieskpoor is the defending champion, winning a memorable final against Jordan Thompson last year. His game is better suited to grass than McDonald and he should come through.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 2
Karen Khachanov vs Aleksandar Vukic
Head-to-head: Khachanov 1-0 Vukic
This has the potential to be a tricky matchup for Khachanov. Although Vukic is inconsistent, his big serve and flat forehand can cause damage on grass if he finds his range. Khachanov will seek to dominate the backhand-to-backhand exchanges, where he does have a clear edge. If the Russian combines that with good serving, this is a challenge he is capable of overcoming.
Prediction: Khachanov in 3
Ugo Humbert vs Arthur Fils
Head-to-head: Humbert 2-0 Fils
There will undoubtedly be a lot of winners hit between these two very watchable players. Fils has a huge future ahead of him with the formidable game he already possesses. However, right now, I trust Humbert’s level more on grass. His greater experience moving on the surface could be particularly important in this contest. It will be interesting to observe whether Fils has made improvements in that area compared to his grass-court season last year.
Prediction: Humbert in 2
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
