Some of the first round action at the 2023 Hamburg Open will see Maximilian Marterer of Germany, the world number 157 take on compatriot Rodolf Molleker, the world number 264, and Alexandre Muller, the world number 76, play fellow Frenchman Luca van Assche, the world number 77. Get the latest predictions along with the odds, preview and head to head for these matches along with Emil Ruusuvouri v Guido Pella and Richard Gasquet v Daniel Altmaier.
Maximilian Marterer v Rodolf Molleker Preview
Head-to-Head: The pair have met twice before on the Challenger circuit, Marterer winning both matches. It took him three sets in Meerbusch in 2021, but just a few days ago in Amersfoort, he got the job done in straight sets.
Marterer will come into Hamburg direct from the Netherlands, where he is due to play Titouan Droguet in the final.
Should he win it, that will represent his seventh Challenger title, but his first since winning a hard court event in Slovakia, back in 2020. The last time he won a clay court tournament had been three years prior to that.
Given a wildcard in Hamburg, he will be playing in the main draw of an ATP event for the first time since Wimbledon, where, for the first time in his career, he reached the third round of a Grand Slam.
Molleker has also been given a wildcard, although his pedigree is not so strong. He has never been beyond the first round of a Grand Slam before, and has only won a single Challenger title.
However, the fact that it was on clay in Turkey in May, and that he had previously reached a final on the same surface in March, means that his challenge should not be discounted entirely.
Marterer’s greater experience and head to head record suggests he should win comfortably
Marterer v Molleker Tip:
Marterer to win: 4/7
Alexandre Muller v Luca van Assche Preview
Head-to-Head: This will be the first match between the two French competitors.
It has taken Muller years to get to his current world ranking, but after serving his apprenticeship on the junior tours, he is finally achieving tangible success. He won a Challenge title on clay in June, and was the beaten finalist in a US hard court event in February.
On the main tour, he reached his first senior final in Marrakech, Morocco, where he lost in three sets to the Spaniard Roberto Carballes-Baena.
He recently reached the second round of Wimbledon for the first time and has been given a wildcard in Hamburg, as has his opponent Van Assche, whose own ascent has been much more rapid – he is seven years younger than Muller.
He has already twice been a winner on the Challenger tour this year, picking up trophies in Pau, France and in Sanremo. Italy.
The teenager has just come from Bastad where he reached the second round before losing to the Argentine, Francisco Cerundulo.
There is very little to choose between them in terms of ranking, but van Assche would appear to have the higher ceiling of the pair, and this may be his chance to prove it.
Muller v Van Ascche Tip:
Van Assche to win: 6/7
Emil Ruusuvouri v Guido Pella Preview
Head-to-Head: The pair have never played each other before. This will be the first match between the 24 year old Finn, and the Argentine, who is nine years older.
Ruusuvouri has been struggling of late to rediscover the form that helped him break into the top 40 at the end of last year for the first time, although his semi-final in Rosmalen was a recent highlight.
Clay is not his favourite surface – all of his Challenger titles have been won on hard courts, and his French Open campaign ended at the second round stage.
Barcelona may provide inspiration, though, as he reached the last eight there, beating Frances Tiafoe along the way.
Pella is still playing off a Protected Ranking following his injury lay-off last year. Prior to that he had once been ranked as high as 20 in the world, and reached five ATP finals, all of them on clay, although his victory in Brazil in 2019 was his only win.
His recent third round appearance at Wimbledon was the furthest he has been in any tournament this year.
Recent form and fitness favour the Finn to make the second round in Hamburg.
Ruusuvouri v Pella Tip:
Ruusuvouri to win: 5/7
Richard Gasquet v Daniel Altmaier Preview
Head-to-Head:
They have met twice before, both matches taking place in clay in 2021, Gasquet winning in Umag,and again in Parma.
Preview:
Now 37, Gasquet’s 16 ATP titles include only three on clay, and the last of those came in Portugal eight years ago.
However, earlier this month, he provided a reminder of what he is still capable of by reaching a Challenger final on clay, losing to compatriot Benoît Paire in three sets.
And, in the Hopman Cup, where he has been represented France, he beat the world number six, Holgar Rune, in straight sets.
In the past two years, Altmaier has appeared in nine Challenger finals, winning seven of them, with six of those victories coming on clay. He also beat Jannik Sinner at the French Open this year, going on to reach the third round there for the second time in his career.
He was last in action in Bastad, where he reached the second round, eventually going down in three sets to compatriot Yannick Hanfmann.
Playing on clay in front of his home crowd will give Altmaier an advantage, but Gasquet is a very experienced competitor and should be able to cope with the pressure. And the fact he is unbeaten against Altmaier on clay is another card in his favout.
Gasquet v Altmaier Tip:
Gasquet to win: 7/9
The 2023 Hamburg Open will be played from July 24 to 30. Get our ultimate guide on tennis betting and predictions here.
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