Albert
·
3d
My Prediction
Bonzi in 3 sets.Break out the sun hats and sunscreen, we're taking it down under to Melbourne Park where a jovial jaunt on the hard court awaits us. Benjamin "Buckler" Bonzi tussles with Francesco "Fightin' Finch" Passaro - neither player seeded, but that's just a detail, isn't it?
Bonzi, the seeming favorite here, with a recent dazzling display against Goffin despite a slight stumble in his encounter with Kecmanović. Ah, but who hasn't stumbled once or twice, right? He certainly showed some finesse against Li Tu and McCabe on the fast courts that encourage some cutting edge spins.
On the other side of the net, Passaro is a man who knows how to spell adversity. Nice of him to introduce Dimitrov to this knowledge in their recent match, quite neighborly. But, his recent slip on Basilashvili's banana peel and his loss against Martinéz flash some warning signs. The fast court won't be doing him any favors since he's had his tough times with spin.
Just because a match could be anyone's game doesn't mean it will be, no amount of wishes turn into horses here, folks. This is the Australian Open, not a fairy tale.
So to give you a slice of wisdom with a dry martini on the side: The fast court, Bonzi's impressive performance against Goffin and the clear favoritism draped around his determined shoulders - all signs point towards a Bonzi victory. He may have a bit of a tippy toe dance with Passaro in one set, but the final twirl belongs to him.
Albert’s Prediction: Bonzi in 3 sets.