A couple of showdowns between countrymen are on the Monday schedule in Mallorca, including Nick Kyrgios vs. fellow Aussie Adam Walton. An all-Serbian affair pits Miomir Kecmanovic against Hamad Medjedovic.
(Q) Adam Walton vs. (WC) Nick Kyrgios
Kyrgios will continue his grass-court comeback at this week’s Mallorca Championships. Having not played since the Aussie Open, the 31-year-old Australian returned a couple of weeks ago in Stuttgart and advanced one round (d. Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-4) before losing to Sho Shimabukuro in three sets. Kyrgios withdrew from Halle, so he heads into this tournament as a significant question mark.
Up first for the former world No. 13 on Monday is a fellow Aussie in Walton, whom Kyrgios has never faced. Walton recently made headlines with a five-set upset of Daniil Medvedev in round one at Roland Garros. Winning such a big match on that kind of stage should serve him well in another match that will have a ton of eyeballs on it — strictly because Kyrgios is involved. Unless Kyrgios has a great serving day, Walton may be too solid for him.
Pick: Walton in 3
Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Hamad Medjedovic
Kecmanovic and Medjedovic will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers on Monday. Early returns on grass are decent for Medjedovic, who beat Arthur Rinderknech at Queen’s Club and then lost to Ugo Humbert 2-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(5). Still, the 22-year-old Serb has played only 18 professional matches all time on this surface.
Experience favors Kecmanovic, who has played 41 matches on grass and finished runner-up at the now-defunct Antalya tournament in 2019. The 51st-ranked Serb may not be on fire at the moment, but he is in decent enough form to fend off an opponent who would probably rather contest this particular matchup on clay or a slow hard court.
Pick: Kecmanovic in 3