Bernabe Zapata Miralles vs Christopher O’Connell
Time: 4:30 PM IST
Head-to-head: 0-0
Bernabe Zapata Miralles emerged victorious in the opening round of the ATP Geneva tournament with a comfortable win over Ukrainian qualifier Vitaliy Sachko. The Spaniard displayed his prowess on clay by defeating his opponent in straight sets, securing a 6-2, 6-4 victory. Zapata Miralles has had a commendable season so far, boasting 15 wins and 13 losses, all of his triumphs achieved on his favored clay surface.
Reflecting on his progress, it’s noteworthy that in 2022 during this stage of the season, Zapata Miralles had a ranking outside the top 100. He faced the arduous task of competing through the qualifying rounds at the French Open. However, he has exhibited remarkable improvement since then and currently holds his career-best ranking at #37. His exceptional performances on clay in recent months have earned him a seeded position in the main draw of the ATP Geneva tournament this week.
Zapata Miralles made his debut appearance in Geneva in 2018, where he fought his way to the second round as a qualifier. Unfortunately, his journey was halted by the seasoned Andreas Seppi, who defeated him convincingly in straight sets, denying him a spot in the quarterfinals.
Christopher O’Connell encountered a formidable challenge in the first round, engaging in a grueling battle against Nino Serdarusic that lasted nearly three hours.
Despite squandering three consecutive match points in the second set, O’Connell displayed resilience and regained his composure. He ultimately dominated the decisive set, prevailing with a 7-6, 6-7, 6-1 victory.
The Australian player has demonstrated his proficiency on clay this year, reaching at least the quarterfinals in two out of the four tour-level events he participated in. Notably, two of his three defeats during the European clay swing were against Holger Rune and Taylor Fritz.
Given his overall ability and track record on clay, the Spaniard should have the advantage in this meet up.
Prediction: Back Zapata Mirallas to win