Atp 500 Barcelona Day 3
Kachanov K. Bautista R.
Players who, in their own way, are very competent on this surface. Kachanov comes from the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo and moves on to the Spanish clay to prepare for the Madrid Masters 1000. He faces a specialist who is returning to his level despite trying to conserve energy, but in this match, he could make an impact, especially thanks to the not-so-fast court that allows natural variations for him, unlike his opponent. However, in the long run, I think it will be Bautista who takes it home.
Lajovic D. Humbert U.
Same story in this match. Humbert is a powerful player who loves fast courts and meets a player who has achieved his best results on this surface. Humbert will rely heavily on his left-handed kick, especially targeting Lajovic's one-handed backhand, which could struggle with these trajectories. On the other hand, the Serbian will aim to keep his opponent moving and change shots frequently to avoid being attacked. This match could be competitive, but I see Humbert as the favorite.
Maroszan F. Van asche L.
Both players perform very well on this surface. Maroszan has shown steady improvement at the beginning of this season and will want to consolidate this progress on a surface he enjoys and where he plays his best tennis. On the other hand, the Frenchman will try to cause him trouble, especially with high trajectories and his important consistency and few errors. Maroszan is the favorite for me, but especially the first set could be prolonged.
Musetti L. Carballes Baena R.
Both players are good on these courts. Musetti is finding continuity and confidence in his shots, especially by serving well again and thus being able to attack and keep his opponents far from the court. Carballes, on the other hand, will try, as he often does, to offer his opponent a variety of balls, but much will depend on his serving percentages.
Musetti wins the first set and the match impactful. I favor Musetti, who will have to be good at taking control of the match immediately against the Spaniard.
Ofner S. Tsitsipas S.
Tsitsipas seems to have returned to his form from two years ago, a level that allowed him to reach number 3 in the world. He is regaining confidence in his shots and especially consistency on his backhand. Coming from the challenges of Monte Carlo, which led him to win the tournament, the surface change could pose some difficulties for him, especially as he faces an opponent who pushes whenever he has the opportunity, even at the risk of taking some unnecessary risks. Moreover, both have excellent serves on which they are very solid. I think in the end, the Greek will win, but can there be at least one fought set?
Trungelliti M. Jarry N.
Both players play on their preferred courts. Trungelliti showed in the qualifiers that he can attack his opponent very well and make very few mistakes, but he faces a player who practically gives away nothing on serve and pushes whenever he can to put pressure on his opponent. I believe the difference in ranking will be felt entirely, although the Chilean is not experiencing an unforgettable period of form.
Munar J. Thompson J.
Munar, a clay court specialist, has already shown today against Nishioka that he's in good shape and not giving anything away to anyone. Now he challenges the world number 33, who, however, prefers faster surfaces and has never felt comfortable on clay, especially Spanish clay. I predict a match that will be played a lot in response, where I believe the Spaniard will be much better and can make the difference by winning the match easily.
Davidovich Fokina A. Machac T.
Both players are very fast, have excellent variations, know how to defend and push very well, the difference could lie in the form of the players. Davidovich is not managing to express himself at his best, especially due to physical issues, while Machac has been experiencing exponential growth this year on all surfaces. I think it will be a good match that could end in the third set with the Spaniard maybe coming from behind?
De Minaur A. Nadal R.
The king of clay, approaching his last dance, which will probably take place at Roland Garros, challenges one of the most in-form players at the moment, who, however, loses much efficiency on clay, not being able to rely on the opponent's ball speed. Nadal, on the other hand, unable to be as physical as before, will aim to minimize the rallies and exit with short balls and high trajectories, hoping for his opponent's errors. That said, much will depend on De Minaur, who may be currently favored, but some things are inexplicable, and the king is back and will surely want to leave his mark.