A few second-round picks from Stuttgart today, and honestly this is a tricky slate to call. Grass always throws up surprises and we've got at least one big upset call in here. Let's get into it.
Boss Open Predictions
Jiri Lehecka vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: Lehecka 1-2 Tiafoe
Tiafoe leads this one 2-1, and the last time these two met Tiafoe came out on top, so there's some history here that matters. Lehecka is a quality player and his flat ball-striking can be dangerous on fast surfaces, but Tiafoe on grass is genuinely a different player, with that big serve and the ability to take the ball early and just blow through rallies before they get complicated.
I think this goes three sets, because Lehecka won't just fold, but Tiafoe's the better grass-court player and the H2H backs him up and should have enough on this surface, all things considered.
Prediction: Tiafoe in 3
Ben Shelton vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-head: Shelton 2-1 Giron
This is the upset call of the day. Shelton has the ranking and the big serve that should theoretically suit grass, but he's been all over the place lately and hasn't looked like himself on tour in recent weeks. Giron, on the other hand, quietly had a strong stretch on the grass in the lead-up to Wimbledon last year and knows how to move and construct points on this surface. Hard to see the head-to-head mattering much here, because form counts for something, and Shelton's isn't there right now.
Giron wins this in straights.
Prediction: Giron in 2
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Alexander Bublik
Head-to-head: Perricard 2-1 Bublik
Perricard actually leads this head-to-head, which is a strange fact when you look at the rankings, and on grass his serve is basically a weapon that makes every service game feel like a coin flip for the returner. That said, Bublik is one of those players who genuinely loves grass, plays his best tennis on it and brings enough variety with the slices and net approaches to disrupt rhythm in a way that most players can't. I feel like Bublik's experience and tactical range on this surface, especially in deciding sets on grass, are the difference here, even against that massive first serve.
Prediction: Bublik in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
Credit Image: © Oscar J. Barroso/AFP7 via ZUMA Press Wire