Some of the third round action at the 2023 ATP Banja Luka Open will see Damir Dzumhur take on Richard Gasquet and Dusan Lajovic play Gregoire Barrere. Get the live streaming options along the predictions, preview and head to head for these matches along with Miomir Kecmanovic v Abedallah Shelbayh and Jiri Lehecka v Radu Albot.
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Damir Dzumhur v Richard Gasquet Preview
.Dzumhur reached the final of this event last year when it was a Challenger tournsment, but he needed a wildcard into the main draw this time for what is a home event for him. Still fate smiled on him kindly, giving him a match up with Liam Broady of Great Britain, a man not at home on play and who only had a reprieve as a Lucky Loser.
The first six games were shared, although Broady had already saved four break points by then. However, that was as good at it got for the Englishman as he failed to win another game after that.
Gasquet also had an easy first round encounter against the teenage Croat qualifier Dino Primzic, even though it was Primzic who struck the first blow with an early break. Gasquet, though, showed all his experience by immediately breaking back and then again, and from there the outcome was almost inevitable.
Dzumhur v Gasquet Tip
Dzumhur should not be taken lightly, especially on home soil and on clay, but Gasquet should have too much experience and knowhow to be bothered by the conditions and the local crowd.
Dusan Lajovic v Gregoire Barrere Preview
Lajovic’s first round opponent was a man he knows well, fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic.
An early break of serve put him in control of the first set, which he consolidated with a further break.
However, any hopes of an easy victory were dashed by Krajinovic, who wrested the second set from him with the odd break in three.
Lajovic was the first to break in the third set, and he had the chance to serve for the match, only to be broken in turn at the vital moment. But he responded in the right way, and, with his opponent serving to stay in the match, came up with another break when he needed it most.
The draw was also kind to Barrere in the first round, pitting him against the teenage Serbian wildcard Hamad Medjedovic, a man with very little experience of playing in such august company.
However, despite Barrere breaking him midway through the first set, the teenager fought back with a break of his own and it went to a tie-break where Hedjedovic earned himself two set points. Unfortunately for him he could not convert either of them, and instead it was Barrere who claimed the set.
The pattern was repeated in the second set, with the Frenchman breaking, only for the Serb to respond immediately. However, serving to stay in the match, the teenager offered up three match points, the third of which Barrere gratefully accepted.
Lajovic v Barrere Tip
Although Barrere is the higher ranked and the seed, the way that he struggled to beat the teenage wildcard suggests that he could be in for a difficult afternoon against another Serb, who will be playing on his favourite surface.
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Miomir Kecmanovic v Abedallah Shelbayh Preview
Kecmanovic enjoyed a first round bye in Banja Luka, but he comes into this event in good form, having already reached two finals in 2023.
Taylor Fritz beat him in Delray Beach whilst, more recently, Casper Ruud got the better of him in Estoril.
Since then he suffered disappointment in Monte Carlo, where he lost his opening match to the Italian, Lorenzo Musetti, in straight sets.
It has already been a momentous year for Shelbayh who has become the first Jordanian to hold a world ranking, and appear in the main draw of an ATP event. And now he can reflect on another milestone, having won his first main tour match.
Having already beaten two higher ranked players in qualifying, Shelbayh showed no signs of nerves as he took the first set off the world number 139, Elias Ymer, for the loss of just one game.
When the Swede went two breaks up in the second set, a comeback seemed on the cards.
But with Ymer serving for the set, his form evaporated completely and Shelbayh reeled off six games on the spin to record a famous victory.
Kecmanovic v Shelbayh Tip
As well as Shelbayh has done in getting this far, Kecmanovic is a step up in terms of calibre of opponent and it is difficult to make a coherent case for the Jordanian teenager progressing further.
Jiri Lehecka v Radu Albot Preview
Lehecka’s best results of the season came earlier in the year. He reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and had match points in his Doha semi-final with Andy Murray, only to let the match get away from him.
Although clay is not his preferred surface, he did not disgrace himself in Monte Carlo, reaching the third round before bowing out to Taylor Fritz.
In the first round here he played Gael Monfils, still working his way back to fitness after his extended paternity break.
An early break put the Czech in control of the first set, and then he roared into a big lead in the second, before ending an attempted Monfils comeback in its tracks.
Albot had come through the qualifying competition and began the slight underdog in his first round match with Federico Coria, because of the Argentine’s greater familiarity on clay.
And the Moldovan number one was immediately on the back foot, dropping his opening service game. However, he did not panic, regrouped, and then broke back and then once more to take the set.
At that point Coria, who had been feeling some discomfort, decided that he could not go on and he retired..
Lehecka v Albot Tip
These days Lehecka is recognised as one of the most improved players on tour, and it will be an upset if he does not beat Albot in this match.
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The 2023 Banja Luka Open will be played from April 17-23. You can watch & bet on the these matches here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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