Gael Monfils defeated Dominic Thiem in the opening round of the ATP 250 in Mallorca, playing his first match on grass since 2021 Wimbledon. Now he’ll have to take on Roberto Carballes Baena, who took out Pablo Carreno Busta on Sunday. Who do you think will make the quarterfinals? We also predict the rest of the day’s matches in a separate article.
ATP Mallorca Day 3 Predictions
Yannick Hanfmann vs Adam Walton
Head-to-head: Hanfmann 1-0
They just played in Halle qualifying with Yannick Hanfmann winning 6-2 6-3. Adam Walton has some grass potential despite the passive approach to his baseline game, mostly thanks to his serve having such a high ace rate. But he might struggle to convert these attacking positions that it brings up for him and Hanfmann enjoyed the conditions in Mallorca last year, making the semifinal. This would seem close if not for the match they had against each other last week.
Prediction: Hanfmann in 2
Paul Jubb vs Maximilian Marterer
Head-to-head: First meeting
Maximilian Marterer was flying at the end of last year, but going almost fully the ATP Tour route this year has not worked out for him at all. Qualifying here is already a decent result though as he managed to defeat Luke Saville and Abdullah Shelbayh. The first-round draw is manageable as well with the German taking on Paul Jubb, who has plenty of grass experience but isn’t that well-suited to the surface. It’s tough to predict the winner, maybe Jubb’s consistency can bring him the win.
Prediction: Jubb in 3
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Christopher Eubanks vs Jakub Mensik
Head-to-head: First meeting
The next few weeks will be crucial for Christopher Eubanks as he defends 610 points for the Mallorca title and the Wimbledon quarterfinal he achieved last year. Something finally clicked for him in Halle and he easily could have found himself in the semifinals if he made a couple more first serves in crucial moments. But that’s the deal with Eubanks on grass, he’s going to play a lot of lottery matches. The good thing for him is that Jakub Mensik has not yet found his game on the lawn this year, which provides an opening to the defending champion.
Prediction: Eubanks in 3
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Gael Monfils vs Roberto Carballes Baena
Head-to-head: Carballes Baena 1-0
Roberto Carballes Baena is 7-14 on grass in his career and that hard-fought win over Pablo Carreno Busta is already a nice result for him. Gael Monfils would never call this surface his favorite, but his achievements over the years have still been much stronger. The win over Dominic Thiem was the first time he touched the grass since 2021, looking pretty decent given the circumstances. Especially if he keeps up that serving quality, Mallorca can help him forget about his dreadful clay season.
Prediction: Monfils in 2
Main Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports