First-round round action in Stockholm will continue on Tuesday afternoon, when fifth-seeded Alex de Minaur gets his week started against Benjamin Bonzi. Emil Ruusuvuori and Joao Sousa are also taking the court.
(5) Alex de Minaur vs. Benjamin Bonzi
De Minaur and Bonzi will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the second time this fall when they meet again in round one of the Stockholm Open on Tuesday. They just faced each other in the Davis Cup (also on indoor hard courts), with De Minaur getting the job done for Australia in a 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 victory. They had previously collided six years ago at a Futures tournament in Spain, where Bonzi prevailed 6-3, 7-5.
Bonzi has cooled off a bit since a hot stat to the season, as the transition from Futures and Challengers to main-tour competition has understandably come with growing pains. The 63rd-ranked Frenchman is just 21-24 at the ATP level in 2022 and 26-35 for his career. De Minaur, on the other hand, has been consistent all year long and has suffered a total of just three first-round losses. A fourth immediate exit probably isn’t in store for the 23rd-ranked Australian.
Pick: De Minaur in 3
Emil Ruusuvuori vs. Joao Sousa
Ruusuvuori and Sousa will also be squaring off for the second time at the ATP level on Tuesday. They clashed early this season on the hard courts of Pune, where Sousa scored a 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-1 title-clinching victory. That helped the 67th-ranked Portuguese veteran emerge from a disastrous 2020 and 2021 slump, but he is back in a funk now. Sousa has won his opening match at only two of his last 13 events.
At the other end of the career spectrum is Ruusuvuori, who is 10 years Sousa’s junior at 23. The 52nd-ranked Finn is a solid 32-27 for his 2022 campaign and has lost in the first round at just one of his last nine tournaments. Ruusuvuori will be able to dictate play in this matchup with his big-hitting game and Sousa is probably too low on confidence to dig his way out of such situations.
Pick: Ruusuvuori in 2
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