Day four in Rotterdam sees the second round come to a close, and there are many exciting matches on display. Home favourites Tallon Griekspoor and Botic Van De Zandschulp are in action, whilst top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas faces a tough test in Ilya Ivashka. Andy Murray takes on Felix Auger-Aliassime in arguably the most interesting match of the day. Here are my predictions for day four in Rotterdam
Marton Fucscovics vs Tallon Griekspoor
Head to Head: First Meeting
Marton Fucscovics recovered well after dropping the first set in his opening round win over Filip Krajinovic. The Hungarian found a good rhythm in the second and third sets, proving to be the more solid of the two players. Fucscovics was the losing finalist here last year, and the Hungarian has the weapons and firepower to be a handful for any of the players left in the draw this week.
Tallon Griekspoor recorded the biggest upset of the opening round. The Dutchman came back from 2-6 2-5 down and saved two match points to defeat Aslan Karatsev. Griekspoor won eight ATP Challenger Tour titles last season, and this has undoubtedly made him a more confident player on the ATP Tour. The Dutchman possesses a big first serve and had a heavy forehand. It’ll be interesting to see if Griekspoor can continue his run here this week.
I think this will be a three set match, and with the home crowd behind him, as well as the confidence from Monday’s win, I think Griekspoor will get the win. I think he will win in three tight sets.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 3
Ilya Ivashka vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head to head: First Meeting
Stefanos Tsitsipas was forced to work hard in an epic three set opening round win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The Greek was a set and a break up, however the Spaniard showed a lot of fight in taking the second set. Despite not playing his best, it is encouraging for Tsitsipas that he is able to come through a match like this one, especially given his recent elbow surgery. The Greek is the top seed this week, and given the fact that half of the top eight seeds have been knocked out, he is the favourite to win his first ATP 500 title.
Ilya Ivashka recorded an impressive opening round victory over Lloyd Harris, losing only five games. The Belorussian has the weapons in his game to challenge the Greek, especially his serve which could potentially expose Tsitsipas’s main weakness, his return of serve. However, Ivashka is not as consistent as Tsitsipas from the back of the court, and can leak unforced errors.
I think this will be a tight three set match, however I think the Greek will find a way to come through. I think he gets the win in three sets.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
Soonwoo Kwon vs Andrey Rublev
Head to Head: First Meeting
Andrey Rublev recorded a relatively straight forward opening round victory over Henri Laaksonen. The defending champion looked good on serve, and was able to effectively overpower his opponent from the back of the court. Rublev has proven himself to be difficult to beat in ATP 500 events, however there are still improvements that the Russian can make to his game. For example, if Rublev could improve his net-play, then this would add variety to his game, which is a necessity against the best players in the world.
Soonwoo Kwon also had a relatively comfortable opening round win over Frenchman Hugo Gaston. The South Korean may not possess a deadly weapon in his game, however he is remarkably consistent from the back of the court and he effectively counter-punches against the big hitters. Kwon won his first ATP Tour title in Nur- Sultan last year, and he is not a player to be taken lightly.
Having said that, if Rublev plays to his potential, I can’t see how Kwon can trouble him. I think the Russian will record a straight sets win.
Prediction: Rublev in 2
JJiri Lehecka vs Botic Van De Zandschulp
Head to Head: First meeting
Jiri Lehecka showed composure in his opening round win over Denis Shapovalov. In defeating the 5th seed, Lehecka recorded his first win on the ATP Tour. As well as being mentally tough, the Czech showcased the firepower that he has in his game, effectively out hitting Shapovalov from the back of the court. It will be fascinating to see if Lehecka can build on this win, and continue to remain as mentally solid when facing the home favourite.
Botic Van De Zandschulp recorded a comfortable opening round win over Bernabe Zapata Miralles. The Dutchman exposed the Spaniard’s serve and Zapata Miralles was only able to hold serve once in the match. Despite the lack of a crowd, due to the 10pm curfew, Van De Zandschulp kept his intensity throughout the match. The Dutchman will be able to use the energy of the crowd in today’s match.
I think this will be a close three set match. Both players possess firepower in their games, however Van De Zandschulp has the advantage of the crowd support and being more experienced at this level. I think the Dutchman will get the win in three sets.
Prediction: Van De Zandschulp in 3
Felix Auger Aliassime vs Andy Murray
Head to Head: 1-0 Auger Aliassime
Felix Auger Aliassime was not at his best in his opening round win over Egor Gerasimov. However, the Canadian kept and a cool head and began to play more consistent tennis after the first set. Auger Aliassime has enjoyed a great start to the 2022 season, however there are some improvements that he can make to his game. His forehand can break down at times under pressure, and occasionally his ball toss can go awry on the serve. If he cleans these two areas of his game up, then the Canadian definitely has the talent to become a top five player and win a grand slam in the future.
Andy Murray recorded an impressive victory over Alexander Bublik in the opening round. The Brit had to work hard, recovering from a break down in the first set to win it on a tiebreak. Murray is still one of the sport’s finest returners and he kept making Bublik play an extra ball in long baseline rallies. However, I still think Murray has to find ways of finishing points quicker, if he is to make consistent deep runs in tournaments.
I think this will be a close match, however if it goes long, I think Auger Aliassime will be able to last longer physically. I think the Canadian will get the win in a tight, three set match.
Prediction: Auger Aliassime in 3
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