You would think with Masters 1000s events in the immediate rearview mirror and a Grand Slam coming up that this week’s tournaments would be lacking in terms of quality. Well, that’s not the case – unless there are significant withdrawals. Among those taking the court at the ATP 250s in Geneva and Lyon are Felix Auger-Aliassime, Cameron Norrie, Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov.
The weeks proceeding slams are always the toughest to predict, but let’s give it a shot!
Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon
Where: Lyon, France
Surface: Clay
Points: 250
Prize money: 562,815 Euros
Top seed: Felix Auger-Aliassime
Defending champion: Cameron Norrie
Draw analysis: A top 10 player taking the court a week before a Grand Slam rarely makes sense, but in Auger-Aliassime’s case it does. The Canadian hasn’t been winning many matches at all this spring, so he could use a confidence boost. Auger-Aliassime has a real opportunity to get one, too, as the top half of the draw much weaker than the bottom. The No. 1 seed is on a collision course for the semifinals with Tommy Paul, while the other two seeds (Richard Gasquet and Brandon Nakashima) are in unspectacular form.
The other side is home to Norrie, Francisco Cerundolo, Miomir Kecmanovic, Sebastian Baez, and Jack Draper. If the seeds hold to form, quarterfinal matchups would be Norrie vs. Baez and Cerundolo vs. Kecmanovic. However, Kecmanovic could go up against Jack Draper in the second round and David Goffin may be first up for Norrie.
Semifinal predictions: Cameron Norrie over Miomir Kecmanovic and Tommy Paul over Zhizhen Zhang
Final: Norrie over Paul
Gonet Geneva Open
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
Surface: Clay
Points: 250
Prize money: 562,815 Euros
Top seed: Casper Ruud
Defending champion: Casper Ruud
Draw analysis: Unlike the case with Auger-Aliassime, there really is no reason for Ruud and Fritz to be playing this week. Yes, Ruud has underwhelmed overall this year; but he is coming off a semifinal performance in Rome. That should be more than good enough to send him on his way to Roland Garros. Fritz has already won plenty of matches on clay this spring and should be focused on the upcoming major after bowing out early in each of the past two (2022 U.S. Open and 2023 Australian Open).
Whatever the case, neither guy will have an easy time picking up an ATP 250 title in Geneva. Ruud is likely to meet either Tallon Griekspoor or Dusan Lajovic in the quarterfinals before running into Alexander Zverev in the semis. Fritz will have a tough opener on his hands in the form of Alexander Bublik or Marcos Giron and Grigor Dimitrov is a possible semifinal opponent. As for Dimitrov, a section of the bracket with Madrid quarterfinalist Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Marrakech champion Roberto Carballes Baena could be difficult.
Semifinal predictions: Alexander Zverev over Dusan Lajovic and Bernabe Zapata Miralles over Filip Krajinovic
Final: Zverev over Zapata Miralles
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