Tennis acca tips: A Borg on court in Bastad and more from the Andreeva sisters
- James Richardson
- 17 July 2023
Here Planet Sport takes a look at selected matches scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 18 July 2023, across the ATP and WTA Tours to help you put together your tennis accumulator.
With Wimbledon in the books we are all set to kick off the US Open season for the ATP Tour at least.
Newport hosts the Hall of Fame Open this week both starting the US Open swing and ending the grass court swing.
Meanwhile, the brief European summer clay swing alights Gstaad, Bastad, Budapest and Palermo in a busy week.
Here we look at selected matches scheduled to take place on Tuesday 18 July 2023 across the ATP and WTA Tours.
ATP Bastad:
Alexander Zverev vs Alex Molcan | Pick: Zverev
ATP Bastad:
Elias Ymer vs Leo Borg | Pick: Borg
ATP Gstaad:
Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs Fabio Fognini | Pick: Fognini
ATP Gstaad:
Stan Wawrinka vs Roberto Carballes Baena | Pick: Wawrinka
ATP Newport:
Gabriel Diallo vs Kevin Anderson | Pick: Anderson
ATP Newport:
Max Purcell vs Gijs Brouwer | Pick: Purcell
WTA Budapest:
Daria Saville Gavrilova vs Tereza Martincova | Pick: Martincova
WTA Budapest:
Nadia Podoroska vs Storm Hunter | Pick: Podoroska
WTA Palermo:
Daria Kasatkina vs Martina Trevisan | Pick: Kasatkina
WTA Palermo:
Lucia Bronzetti vs Erika Andreeva | Pick: Bronzetti
ATP Bastad: Alexander Zverev vs Alex Molcan
Alexander Zverev remains eager for court time as he tries to get back up into the top ten and he starts his Bastad campaign against Alex Molcan.
Zverev was in excellent form in the earlier spring clay swing, reaching the French Open semi-finals and sports a 13-6 win-loss record on the red stuff this year.
Molcan and Zverev met during that run at the French Open with the German cruising to a straight sets win in what has been their only clash on the ATP Tour.
Zverev has been playing well enough on grass but a return to clay should see him up his level and this one shouldn't be a contest
ATP Bastad: Elias Ymer vs Leo Borg
The son of tennis icon Bjorn Borg, Leo has a chance to make an ATP Tour breakthrough when he faces compatriot Elias Ymer in the first round of the Nordea Open.
Borg could secure a 40+ place jump on the ATP Rankings if he can beat his nation's No 2 ranked player in Elias Ymer.
Both players enter the draw via a wildcard but there is a significant disparity in experience and ranking in favour of Ymer.
This kind of big stage will test the mettle of the young Borg but we feel his may have the goods to pull off an upset.
ATP Gstaad: Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs Fabio Fognini
Veterans Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Fabio Fognini have already met 13 times on the ATP Tour with the latter holding a massive lead in their head-to-head.
Fognini has won 11 of those 13 and hasn't lost to the Spaniard since 2017.
The 36-year-old Italian skipped the grass court swing and returns to the tour fresh while his opponent sought time on court in last week's San Bernadetto Challenger event but lost in the second round.
Fognini may be coming to the end of his career but he will not want to lose any ground in his personal rivalry with Ramos-Vinolas.
ATP Gstaad: Stan Wawrinka vs Roberto Carballes Baena
Rather remarkably this will be the first clash between long-time pros Stan Wawrinka and Roberto Carballes Baena.
Wawrinka has been on the tour for the entirety of Carballes Baena's 13-year career.
Carballes Baena is unlikely to glean any great advantage from that lack of familiarity.
Wawrinka has been fired up and eager to do well this season and he is still a big danger on clay.
ATP Newport: Gabriel Diallo vs Kevin Anderson
Former Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson has sprung a suprise comeback on the tennis world with a comeback 14 months after he announced his retirement.
That decision suggests that Anderson is feeling great physically and he will relish the opportunity to test that in competition on surface that has brought him great success.
Diallo has been presented the opportunity to claim a big scalp but the occasion just might be too much for him.
Anderson won't have too much pressure on him considering this is his first match back and he is likely to do well.
ATP Newport: Max Purcell vs Gijs Brouwer
While this is the first main draw meeting for Max Purcell and Gijs Brouwer the pair have met twice before in qualifiers.
Purcell beat Brouwer in the Wimbledon qualifiers and should be able to repeat the feat on home soil and reach the last 16.
Purcell has lost both of his ATP Tour main draw matches on grass this term but that qualifier win should give him the confidence to break his duck at the Hall of Fame Open.
The American has had a miserable time in Europe and is likely thrilled to be back at home ahead of the US Open.
WTA Budapest: Daria Saville Gavrilova vs Tereza Martincova
Daria Saville Gavrilova is set to play her first match on clay this season and has been handed a tough assignment by the draw.
Tereza Martincova awaits the Russian-born Aussie player at the Hungarian Grand Prix eager to inflict another loss on Saville Gavrilova.
Martincova bested Saville Gavrilova in Karlsruhe and has a head start on clay after a run to the semi-finals on Contrexeville last week.
Martincova is out to improve a 10-7 record on clay this season and break into the top 100 this week.
WTA Budapest: Nadia Podoroska vs Storm Hunter
Nadia Podoroska has missed much of the clay swing this season through injury but returned in decent touch on grass.
Podoroska was no match for Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon but will feel she should have the measure of Hunter.
Podoroska is a former top 50 player and one that has the potential to be among the game's top 20 at least but she has had her injury struggles.
Hunter will be a tough opponent in her first meeting with Podoroska but experience on clay should count in the Russian's favour.
WTA Palermo: Daria Kasatkina vs Martina Trevisan
Daria Kasatkina may have enjoyed some support from the Wimbledon crowds but she shouldn't expect the same in Palermo when she faces home hope Martina Trevisan.
On form Kasatkina is the favourite but the crowd might just be a factor if Trevisan can put pressure on the Russian No 1.
This will be the first WTA Tour main draw meeting between these players.
Kasatkina has played far more tennis recently and should have the measure of Trevisan.
WTA Palermo: Lucia Bronzetti vs Erika Andreeva
The Andreeva sisters are becoming one of the WTA Tour draws and Erika is also in action against a home player in Palermo.
While her sister was making headlines at Wimbledon Erika Andreeva fell in the qualifiers and got a jump on the clay swing in Contrexeville but suffered a second round exit at the WTA 125 event.
Lucia Bronzetti would be expected to put the young Russian away considering she is currently hovering just outside the top 50 players in the world.
Bronzetti was a finalist at Bad Homburg and should be a contender to go deep in Palermo.
