A pair of ATP 250 finals shall be contested on Saturday earlier than the Australian Open will get underway on Sunday. They’re going down in Auckland and Adelaide.
Listed here are my previews and picks for the 2 matchups.
Auckland: (Q) Zizou Bergs vs. Gael MonfilsMonfils is enjoying in his thirty fifth ATP closing; Bergs is enjoying in his first. However is expertise actually an enormous issue going into the ASB Traditional championship match? Possibly not. In any case, the 38-year-old Frenchman is simply 12-22 all time in ATP finals.
This can be a nice alternative for Bergs, who has seemed like the most effective participant all through the week in Auckland. The 66th-ranked Belgian has gained six matches–two in qualifying and 4 in the primary draw. He seems to be bodily fitter than Monfils and likewise performs extra offense, which can inflict extra bodily harm on the veteran. I’m going with Bergs for a minor upset, giving him his first ATP title.
Adelaide: (5) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. (2) Sebastian KordaKorda and Auger-Aliassime shall be dealing with one another for the fourth time in Saturday’s Adelaide Worldwide closing. The top-to-head collection stands at 2-1 in favor of Auger-Aliassime, who has earned each of his wins on arduous courts (one indoors, one outdoor). Korda acquired the job achieved on the pink clay of Estoril three years in the past.
This difficult-court match, nonetheless, ought to go in Korda’s course. He’s a former runner-up in Adelaide, having come inside one level of upsetting Novak Djokovic for the 2023 title earlier than falling 6-7(8), 7-6(4), 6-4. The Twenty second-ranked American is effectively rested (he has performed solely two matches this week) and has not dropped serve a single time. That may put numerous stress on Auger-Aliassime, who did effectively to beat Tommy Paul within the semis–however it was removed from a very good match for both participant.
Decide: Korda in 3
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
