A few interesting second-round picks from Geneva today, with some genuine upsets potentially on the cards under partially cloudy skies and a cool 66°F. Who do you think comes through?
Gonet Geneva Open Predictions
Cameron Norrie vs Mariano Navone
Head-to-head: Navone leads 1-0
Navone already has a win over Norrie in the books, and on clay that feels pretty telling. The Argentine is a grinder who makes you work for every point on this surface, and Norrie's clay results have been quietly disappointing for a player of his ranking. He's not uncomfortable on the dirt, but he doesn't impose himself on it either.
Navone should be the better player here and I think he takes it in three.
Prediction: Navone in 3
Taylor Fritz vs Alexei Popyrin
Head-to-head: Fritz leads 1-1
Clay is Fritz's worst surface, and it's not particularly close. Popyrin has been swinging freely lately and his big game actually translates better to clay than people give him credit for, because he's powerful enough to shorten points even on slow surfaces. The H2H is split, and Fritz hasn't shown anything this clay swing to suggest he's figured out how to grind through tough opponents on this surface.
Popyrin wins this one.
Prediction: Popyrin in 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Learner Tien
Head-to-head: First meeting
Tsitsipas is ranked 75th right now, but that number doesn't really reflect who he is on clay. He's a former world number three who's won Monte Carlo twice and reached the Roland Garros final, and this surface still brings out the best in him even in a down period. Tien is a talented young player but he's a hard-court prospect at heart, and Geneva's clay isn't where you want to be figuring things out against a former top-five guy who grew up on this stuff. That said, Tien's youth and energy could make this uncomfortable in stretches.
I feel like Tsitsipas's clay pedigree is just too much for Tien to handle here, all things considered.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
For full predictions on ATP and WTA matches today, check out Uppset.
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