The Davis Cup matches are in full swing on the tennis tour. The top tennis-playing nations have put in the hard yards in their quest to reach the finals.
Team Argentina were one of the first teams to enter the final eight after Andres Molteni and Horacio Zebollas defeated Botic Van De Zandschulp and Sander Arends. They outclassed the Dutch duo in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.
Meanwhile, Team USA struggled to edge past Team Czech Republic on Saturday. Jiri Lehecka and Jakub Mensik held their nerve in the singles contest to power Czechia to the final eight.
Without further ado, let’s look at the predictions and line-up for Day Three of the Davis Cup qualifiers.
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1) Holger Rune vs Jaume Munar
First up, Holger Rune will take on Jaume Munar in the second round of the Davis Cup qualifiers.
Rune has had a hot and cold season so far. After a runner-up finish in Indian Wells, he clinched the title in Barcelona and reached the second round in New York. The Dane won his first encounter against Pablo Carreno Busta, 7-5, 6-3.
Munar, meanwhile, has also raised his level this year. After early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati, he reached the quarterfinals in Winston-Salem and the fourth round in New York. The Spaniard lost his first encounter against Elmer Moller, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
A crunch encounter will be on the cards on Sunday. Munar has been far more resilient this year, but dealing with Rune on clay could be a tough ask.
Predicted Winner: Holger Rune
2) Alex De Minaur vs Zizou Bergs
Next up, Alex De Minaur will take on Zizou Bergs in the second round of the Davis Cup qualifiers.
De Minaur has had another solid season this year. After a title-winning run in Washington, he reached the quarterfinals in Cincinnati and New York. The Australian lost his first encounter against Raphael Collignon, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Zizou Bergs had had a quiet season on tour. After early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati, he reached the third round in New York. The Belgian earned a valuable point for his country against Jordan Thompson and defeated him, 7-6(4), 6-4.
De Minaur will be eager to fight back after a frustrating performance against Collignon. He will be up against a resilient customer, but should be able to solve this bout.
Predicted Winner: Alex De Minaur
3) Joao Fonseca vs Stefanos Tsitispas
Next up, Joao Fonseca will face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Davis Cup World Group One qualifiers.
Fonseca has been one of the breakthrough performers of the season. After a title-winning run in Buenos Aires, he reached the third round in Wimbledon and the second round in New York. The Brazilian defeated Stefanos Sakellaridis in the first singles bout, 7-5, 6-3.
Meanwhile, Tsitsipas has yet to find his best potential this year. He captured the title in Dubai and reached the quarterfinals in Barcelona, which were his best results on tour. The Greek made no mistake against Thiago Seyboth Wild in the singles round.
Fonseca's ability to counterpunch and move effortlessly will cause problems for Tsitsipas. Considering their recent form and performances under pressure, Fonseca will be a slight favorite to edge this bout.
Predicted Winner: Joao Fonseca
4) Damir Dzumhur vs Alvaro Guillen Meza
Lastly, Damir Dzumhur will take on Alvaro Guillen Meza in the Davis Cup World Group One qualifiers.
Dzumhur has chipped in with some impressive results this year. After a quarterfinal exit in Nordea, he reached the semifinals in Umag and the second round in Cincinnati. The Bosnian outlasted Andreas Andrade in the first singles round, 7-6(13), 6-1.
Meza, meanwhile, has played most of his tennis on the ATP Challenger circuit. The Ecuadorian entered the Davis Cup after second-round exits in Como and Genoa. He started his campaign with a potent win against Nerman Fatic, 6-4, 7-6(0).
Both players have begun on a strong note. Dzumhur's results at the highest level will tilt the tie in his favor on Sunday.
Predicted Winner: Damir Dzumhur
