R1 previews and predictions: Berrettini vs. Fucsovics, Rublev vs. Borges

First-round competition in Vienna gets underway on Monday, when Matteo Berrettini faces Marton Fucsovics. At the other ATP 500 event in Basel, top seed Andrey Rublev begins his week against Nuno Borges.

Erste Bank Open: (Q) Marton Fucsovics vs. Matteo Berrettini

Berrettini and Fucsovics will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers when they clash in the Vienna first round on Monday. The Italian leads the head-to-head series 2-1 (it’s 1-1 on the main tour) following a 7-6(3), 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory in the Wimbledon opening round this summer.

An indoor hard court will give Fucsovics a better chance, but it is still a favorable surface for Berrettini. The world No. 42 can overpower his opponent on a quick court–and really on any court–just as he did at the All-England Club. Berrettini should have plenty of motivation coming down the stretch of this season, too, as he tries to secure a seed for the 2025 Australian Open. Fucsovics did well to qualify for the Basel main draw with wins over Pavel Kotov and Richard Gasquet, but a considerable step up in competition likely marks the end of the road for the 32-year-old Hungarian.

Pick: Berrettini in 2

Swiss Indoors Basel: (1) Andrey Rublev vs. Nuno Borges

Rublev is clinging to the all-important No. 8 spot in the race to the Nitto ATP Finals heading into the last few weeks of the regular season. The Russian leads No. 9 Alex de Minaur by just 265 points, so every win from now on is crucial–especially at a 500-point tournament. Rublev failed to help himself in Stockholm this past week, losing in the quarterfinals to Stan Wawrinka at an event that was eventually won by fellow Turin hopeful Tommy Paul.

Up first for the Basel top seed is Borges, whom he has never faced. The 27-year-old is enjoying by far his best season on tour and is in position for Aussie Open seeding at No. 32 in the rankings. Borges comes into this match as a question mark, however, having not played since reaching the fourth round of the U.S. Open. On a surfaces that massively favors Rublev, this should be one-way traffic from start to finish.

Pick: Rublev in 2