A few qualifying final picks from the HSBC Championships in London today, with all three matches carrying some real intrigue. Grass always throws up surprises in qualifying, and we're curious to see who punches through to the main draw. Let's get into it.
HSBC Championships Predictions
Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Head-to-head: Kovacevic 1-0 Perricard
Kovacevic took the only previous meeting, but Perricard on grass is a different proposition altogether. The big serve is practically unplayable on this surface when he's locked in, and at 6'8" he generates angles that simply don't exist for most players. Kovacevic is a solid ball-striker but he's never been especially comfortable returning on fast grass against heavy servers.
I think Perricard's serve gets him out of trouble often enough here, and if he keeps the unforced errors reasonable, Kovacevic won't have enough returns to work with.
Prediction: Perricard in 3
Zachary Svajda vs Martin Damm
Head-to-head: Svajda 0-1 Damm
Damm leads the H2H but Svajda is the higher-ranked player right now and has shown he can handle quick conditions reasonably well. Damm is a capable grasscourt player with a clean ball-striking game, and that one previous win does carry some weight, but Svajda's ranking advantage reflects a more consistent run of results over the past year.
This feels like it goes three sets, but Svajda should have enough to close it out, all things considered.
Prediction: Svajda in 3
Rinky Hijikata vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-head: First meeting
Giron is the higher-ranked player and has been a durable presence on tour for years, but grass isn't really where he's made his name. Hijikata has some game on this surface and the first meeting dynamic means neither player has much of a read on the other. That said, the conditions will matter a lot here and it's hard to see this being anything other than tight throughout.
Prediction: Mensik in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Loic Baratoux/ZUMA Press Wire