RICKY’S PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS FOR THIS WEEK’S CLAY-COURT ATP TENNIS IN BARCELONA AND BUDAPEST

Written by: Staff on 23rd April 2017

RICKY'S PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS FOR THIS WEEK'S CLAY-COURT ATP TENNIS IN BARCELONA AND BUDAPEST

epa05912366 Fabio Fognini of Italy in action against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain during their first round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 17 April 2017. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER |

Ricky’s preview and predictions for this week’s clay-court events in Barcelona and Budapest

By Ricky Dimon

Rafael Nadal captured back-to-back titles last season in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona (his only two titles of the year). He is halfway to accomplishing the same feat after lifting the Monte-Carlo trophy for the 10th time in his career on Sunday. Now he moves to Barcelona, where other contenders include Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem, and David Goffin. Kei Nishikori was the second seed until he withdrew because of a wrist problem.

Also taking place this week is the inaugural Budapest tournament (previously in Bucharest). Much unlike the situation in Barcelona, the Budapest title should be completely up for grabs among Lucas Pouille, Fabio Fognini, Fernando Verdasco, and Diego Schwartzman, among others.

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell

Where: Barcelona, Spain

Points: 500

Top seed: Andy Murray

Defending champion: Rafael Nadal

Draw analysis: In previous years, a third-round battle in Barcelona between Nadal and David Ferrer would be considered too soon. That is no longer the case, as Ferrer is a shadow of his former self and in the midst of an extensive slump. Nadal, on the other hand, is a stellar 24-5 this season and back up to fifth in the rankings. Similarly, a potential quarterfinal showdown between Nadal and Alexander Zverev may not be as entertaining as the name recognition suggests. After all, they just squared off in Monte-Carlo and Nadal soured Zverev’s 20th birthday with a 6-1, 6-1 blowout. Philipp Kohlschreiber and Nicolas Almagro are other potential quarterfinal foes for the nine-time Barcelona winner.

The bottom half of the bracket also includes Goffin—who fell to Nadal in the Monte-Carlo semis—and Monte-Carlo quarterfinalist (and doubles champion) Pablo Cuevas. Goffin and Cuevas may have to face each other in the third round, and the winner would be favored to reach the semis now that Nishikori is on the sidelines.

At the top of the draw, Murray is looking to rebound from an early setback in Monte-Carlo against eventual runner-up Albert Ramos-Vinolas. They could collide again in this week’s quarterfinals, but Murray may first have to beat Feliciano Lopez and Ramos-Vinolas is on a collision course for the last 16 with Roberto Bautista Agut. Dominic Thiem has to like his draw in the second section of the top half, but a red-hot Pablo Carreno Busta would be a tough matchup in the last eight.

Quarterfinal picks: Andy Murray over Roberto Bautista Agut, Dominic Thiem over Pablo Carreno Busta, Rafael Nadal over Philipp Kohlschreiber, and Pablo Cuevas over Benoit Paire

Semifinals: Thiem over Murray and Nadal over Cuevas

Final: Nadal over Thiem

Hungarian Open

Where: Budapest, Hungary

Points: 250

Top seed: Lucas Pouille

Defending champion: Inaugural event

Draw analysis: Pouille could have used a favorable draw in Budapest after making a big run in Monte-Carlo and dealing with an apparent back injury during a semifinal loss to Ramos-Vinolas. But that is not what he got. The Frenchman will kick off his week against either Jiri Vesely or Marrakech champion Borna Coric and he is also in a section with Gilles Simon and Martin Klizan. A strong top half of the bracket also features Fognini, Paolo Lorenzi, and Adrian Mannarino.

Schwartzman has a clay-court title to defend in Istanbul next week, but he may be able to go ahead and win another one in Budapest. The Argentine owns 12 ATP-level match wins this year and has advanced to three quarterfinals on clay, including in Monte-Carlo. Schwartzman could have some tricky early-round matchups against Robin Haase and Federico Delbonis, but being in Ivo Karlovic’s quarter of the draw presents a nice opportunity. Meanwhile, Verdasco has to like his chances of reaching at least the semis from a section that is also home to Viktor Troicki and Evgeny Donskoy.

Semifinal picks: Gilles Simon over Fabio Fognini and Diego Schwartzman over Fernando Verdasco

Final: Schwartzman over Simon