A few first-round picks to preview from Stuttgart, where the grass season is finally underway. These early rounds on grass can be unpredictable, especially for players still finding their footing on the surface, so let's see who comes through.
Boss Open Predictions
Daniel Altmaier vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: Altmaier 0-3 Tiafoe
Altmaier has never beaten Tiafoe, and I don't see that changing on grass. Tiafoe's athleticism and flat ball-striking are well-suited to fast surfaces, and Altmaier is primarily a clay-court grinder who relies on heavy topspin that loses a lot of its bite on this surface. The 0-3 head-to-head is telling enough on its own.
Hard to see this being competitive at all.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 2
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs Mattia Bellucci
Head-to-head: Fokina 1-1 Bellucci
This is genuinely interesting. Bellucci has been quietly building a solid season and at 73 in the world he's still underrated by most people. Fokina is a wildly streaky player at the best of times, and grass isn't where he does his best work. The all-square head-to-head makes this hard to call either way and I feel like Bellucci's more aggressive, flat-hitting style translates better to the surface here.
Backing the upset.
Prediction: Bellucci in 3
Tommy Paul vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Head-to-head: Paul 0-1 Mpetshi Perricard
Mpetshi Perricard is a nightmare to open against on grass. His serve, which made life miserable for several top players last grass season, is genuinely among the hardest to read on tour, and that's the kind of weapon that causes real problems in best-of-three on a fast surface. Paul does hold the loss in the head-to-head, and he'll need to stay aggressive and not let the Frenchman dictate with free points off the return.
That said, Paul is the steadier, more experienced player and should manage to find his rhythm through a tough first set and get through, but not easily.
Prediction: Paul in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Marcin Cholewinski/ZUMA Press Wire