Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime will be battling in round 2 while Bulgaria’s Dimitrov takes on Lorenzo Sonego as round 1 wraps up.
(2) Andrey Rublev vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
In a different year, this could well have been the Rotterdam final, but Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime’s ranking has dipped to the point (No. 28) that he’s unseeded in a tournament as stacked as Rotterdam us. So instead, we get the treat of Auger-Aliassime and Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the second round. But if you’re hoping for a blockbuster, it might be best to adjust your expectations.
Rublev has been in fantastic form in 2024. The Russian has only lost one match so far, a quarterfinal showdown with eventual Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner. Otherwise, Rublev has been superb, as he also started off the season with a tidy tournament win in Hong Kong. The Canadian has traditionally played well in Rotterdam. He was the 2020 finalist and the 2022 champion. That should make for a more competitive match than ranking might suggest, but with Rublev holding a 3-1 record over Auger-Aliassime and the Russian’s far superior form at the moment, this one should go to the Russian.
Cheryl pick – Rublev in 2
WWW: Rublev vs. Auger-Aliassime?
(6) Grigor Dimitrov vs. Lorenzo Sonego
No. 6 seed Grigor Dimitrov will be in first round action on Wednesday. The Bulgarian had an absolutely wild third round loss to Portugal’s Nuno Borges at the Australian Open, but his other two efforts this year resulted in a tournament win (Brisbane) and a final last week in Marseille, where he lost in the final to Ugo Humbert.
Fatigue is sure to factor into the world No. 13’s bid in Rotterdam eventually, but it doesn’t seem likely to happen this early. Dimitrov’s first round opponent is the world No. 48 Lorenzo Sonego. The Italian is an anemic 2-4 on the season, though he did push Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz hard in the second round of the Australian Open before succumbing in 4. Expect the Bulgarian to roll.
Cheryl pick – Dimitrov in 2
The post Rotterdam previews and predictions: Rublev vs. Auger-Aliassime, Dimitrov vs. Sonego appeared first on The Grandstand.