The first round matches at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow continue on Tuesday, October 15th. Get the Alexander Bublik v Andrey Rublev & Philipp Kohlschreiber v Pierre-Hugues Herbert and other tips, previews and predictions below.
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Alexander Bublik v Andrey Rublev Predictions & Preview
21-year old Russian Andrey Rublev and 22-year old Russian born Kazakh Alexander Bublik meet for the first time in their careers in the opening round of the ATP Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
Both players have had a fair run since Wimbledon, with Rublev reviving his early injury-prone career and Bublik launching his. The two young players have been earmarked alongside a host of others as the future of the sport in the years to come.
After an injury marred 2018 that saw him drop below number 70 in the rankings, Rublev has been on a comeback trail since July of this year, and done well to move back to just outside the top 30 in the rankings. The Russian has defeated the likes of Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Stanislas Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios and others since his return as he goes from strength to strength on the tour.
The charismatic and uncanny Bublik has reached a career high number 57 in the world, after having being on the tour for about a year. He was a finalist at the Newport 250 ATP Hall of Fame the week after Wimbledon, and at the Chengdu Open a few weeks back during the Asian hard court swing. With his strong serve and wily shotmaking, the Kazhak is proving himself to be a dangerous opponent for all on the tour.
An exciting first round match in Moscow, which we can expect to be a seesaw battle, with Rublev prevailing in three sets.
Tip: Rublev to win in three sets: 4/11 with Unibet
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Philipp Kohlschreiber v Pierre-Hugues Herbert Predictions & Preview
Veteran German Philipp Kohlschreiber plays French doubles specialist Pierre-Hugues Herbert for the seventh time in their careers. The German leads the head-to-head 5-1, winning the most recent clashes at Indian Wells both this year and last. Herbert’s only win came at the Wimbledon Championships in 2016.
Kohlschreiber is a former world number 16, and has been a consistent performer on the tour for several years. He has made the fourth round of all majors, more than ten times in all and was a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2012. With a strong game on both wings, he has been a force to reckon with under most conditions. Kohlschreiber has played 18 ATP finals, winning eight, but not met with any such success in 2019. At 35 years of age, and ranked just within the top 80, the German seems to be drawing towards the end of his career.
Herbert has been a doubles specialist throughout his career, and won the doubles titles at all four grand slams, upon winning the Australian Open earlier this year, following which he has attempted to focus more on his singles game and done better on the faster indoor surfaces as well as on grass. The Frenchman was a finalist at Montpellier earlier this year losing to countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
A clash between two players looking to end their respective seasons on a positive note lies ahead of us; expect Kohlschreiber’s experience, and comfort with the surface to see him through in a three-setter.
Tip: Kohlschreiber to win in three sets: 13/20 with Unibet
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Jeremy Chardy v Nicolas Jarry Predictions & Preview
French veteran Jeremy Chardy and young Chilean Nicolas Jarry are tied at 1-1 in their head-to-head. Incidentally, their meetings were both this year, with Chardy winning a tight encounter at the Miami Masters 1000 and Jarry convincingly winning on the clay at the Swedish Open in Bastad
Chardy has been on the tour for more than 12 years and his tennis has seen better days, being ranked in the top 25 in the world, as well as a former Australian Open quarter-finalist and making the round of 16 at all other majors. The last few years have not seen much of note from him and he is now ranked just within the top 100 in the world.
Chilean Jarry has been on the tour for only a few years, but proven himself as a force on the clay. In 2018, he made his first ATP finals at the Brasil Open, breaking into the top 50 in the world, and followed it up this year with a title win at the Swedish Open and reaching world number 38 in the rankings. However, his season has taken a dip since the end of the clay season and is now ranked 78th.
A clash of generations and contrasting playing styles; while Jarry may have been the favorite on form a few months ago, his dip in form coupled with Chardy’s experience on the surface, may just tilt the scales in the Frenchman’s favor.
Tip: Chardy to win in three sets: 21/50 with Unibet
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Ivo Karlovic v Aljaz Bedene Predictions & Preview
Slovenian Aljaz Bedene meets Ivo Karlovic for the fifth time in his career, having won on all four occasions. Their most recent encounter was the epic five setter won by Bedene 8-6 in the fifth, at Wimbledon 2017.
Forty year old giant serving Ivo Karlovic was ranked in the top 15 on the tour more than a decade ago, and has continued to be a force for several years since. As recently as this January, he was the oldest man ever to make the finals of an ATP 250, at the Maharashtra Open. He is the holder of the most number of aces all time, in excess of 13,000 through his career. Winner of eight ATP titles, he has not won any in the last three years and has seen his ranking drop to just within the top 100 in the world.
Slovenia’s Bedene has been on the tour for most of this decade and reached an all time high of world number 43 in 2018. Runner-up at four ATP titles in his career, he is yet to win a title, and narrowly lost in the finals of the Moselle Open last month to Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Karlovic is no longer the force he was and if Bedene can continue the form from the indoor hard courts in France last month, he should keep his unbeaten record against the Croat intact.
Tip: Bedene to win in straight sets: 4/11 with Unibet
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