Some of the first-round action at the 2021 ATP Hamburg Open will see Dominik Koepfer taking on qualifier Maximilian Marterer and clay-court specialist Federico Delbonis tackle China’s top-ranked male player Zhang Zhizhen. Get the live streaming options along the predictions, preview, and head to head for these matches along with Sumit Nagal v Juan Pablo Varillas and Gianluca Mager v Alex Molcan.
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Dominik Koepfer v Maximilian Marterer Preview
World No. 59 Dominik Koepfer will look to address his poor record against compatriot Maximilian Marterer when the pair clash in the first round of the Hamburg Open.
Koepfer had less than an ideal start in his grass season preparations as he fell in the first round of two preliminary events for Wimbledon. But Koepfer shocked many people when he mastered an upset in the first round at SW19 by taming the number 27 seed Reilly Opelka in straight sets.
The German lefty withstood 19 humungous aces from Opelka’s racket and nullified the American’s court presence by breaking serve three times. That result served as a springboard for a very respectable third-round showing at the All England Club.
Marterer, on his part, is a former top 50 player who was on a steep climb in the rankings but for injuries. Currently, he is ranked at 200th, and has shown spasmodic flashes of progress in recent weeks such as qualifying for the main draw of Roland Garros for the first time since 2019.
An upset is certainly not out of question, but going for the games market might be the safest option given both players’ special affinity for the surface.
Koepfer v Marterer Tip
Over 21.5 games in the match: 5/6 (bet365)
Federico Delbonis v Zhang Zhizhen Preview
48th-ranked Federico Delbonis braces himself for a tough test against China’s history-maker Zhang Zhizhen.
It is somewhat inconceivable that Delbonis has not won a match outside clay in 2021. His 25 wins this season have been registered on the dirt oscillating across South America and the European clay.
Zhang, meanwhile, has become a national treasure in China. He carried the weight of a nation at Wimbledon when he became the first Chinese man to reach the main draw at the All England Club. But his stay was short-lived as he fell in the first round to Antoine Hoang.
We shouldn’t expect any speed bumps for Delbonis as he transitions from grass. Hamburg was also the scene of his major breakthrough. He reached the final as a qualifier in 2013, beating Roger Federer along the way.
Delbonis looks primed to continue his remarkable winning habit against his Chinese opponent.
Delbonis v Zhang Tip
Delbonis to win in straight sets: 1/2 (bet365)
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Sumit Nagal v Juan Pablo Varillas Preview
Both Sumit Nagal and Juan Pablo Varillas have had to undergo the rigors of qualifying in Hamburg. Nagal was fortunate enough to reach the main draw as a lucky loser after he lost to Zhang Zhizhen in the second round of qualifying on Sunday.
Juan Pablo Varillas, for his part, stunned Sebastian Baez in three sets to qualify. The man from Peru snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as he saved multiple match points in the third set to claim an unlikely win.
The gulf in rankings is trivial bearing in mind that Nagal and Varillas are only 24 places apart. But Varillas is a superior proposition on this surface where depth and endurance hold the keys to success.
Nagal has a winning record against the Peruvian, but his shoddy form in recent weeks does not make for pretty good reading. The odds are stacked against the Indian here and it is hard to see a different result.
Nagal v Varillas Tip
Varillas to win: 8/13 (bet365)
Gianluca Mager v Alex Molcan Preview
Italy’s Gianluca Mager faces Belgrade finalist Alex Molcan in an intriguing first-round match. The pair clashed not long ago, in the semifinals of the Prostejov Challenger, where the Slovak won in straight sets.
Mager, ranked at a career-high of No. 73, has produced stellar performances on the ATP Challenger circuit. He won his fourth career title at that level in Marbella at the start of April.
While Mager has been unable to string wins at tour-level on a consistent basis, it has taken some of the finest talents to beat him – including a trio of his countrymen in Sinner, Sonego, and Musetti.
Molcan famously came reached the Belgrade final at the end of May, losing to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. And he suffered double heartbreak when he lost in the championship match of the Prostejov Challenger – meaning his search for his first Challenger title goes on.
For those not acquainted to Molcan’s playing style, this is a player who can at times mimic Rafael Nadal’s baseline excellence on a clay court. And now that the left-handed Slovak has acclimatized himself with the court conditions in Hamburg, he starts as a favorite. But we reckon the Italian might put a fight than in their most recent matchup.
Mager v Molcan Tip
Three sets in the match: 6/4 (bet365)
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The 2021 Nottingham Open will be played from June 6-13. You can watch & bet on the these matches here. Get your latest premium tennis predictions here.
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