Paris Olympics Men’s Day 1 Predictions: Including Carlos Alcaraz vs. Hady Habib
The men’s tennis events at the Paris Olympics kick off with 15 singles matches on Saturday, marking the beginning of a quest for gold that will conclude in just over a week. As always, LastWordOnTennis is here to offer predictions for these matches. This first set of predictions includes matchups such as Novak Djokovic vs. Matthew Ebden, Carlos Alcaraz vs. Hady Habib, and Daniil Medvedev vs. Rinky Hijikata. Analysts Damian Kust, Shane Black, and Yesh Ginsburg weigh in on who will advance to the next round.
Additionally, for the Olympic Games, we will predict all Day 1 matches, including doubles, with links to our other Olympic predictions at the end of the article. Enjoy!
Paris Olympics Men’s Day 1 Predictions
Tallon Griekspoor (Netherlands) vs Cameron Norrie (Great Britain)
Damian: Both players are struggling and eager for a win. Griekspoor was close to defeating Zverev recently but fell short. Expect him to be more aggressive in this match.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 3
Shane: Norrie’s struggles this season are due to his lack of powerful shots. Griekspoor is not strong on clay, so this match could be close. Norrie might edge out a win in a deciding set.
Prediction: Norrie in 3
Yesh: Griekspoor is currently playing solid tennis, even if he was stronger a few months ago. Norrie has improved but not enough to overcome Griekspoor’s current form.
Prediction: Griekspoor in 3
Christopher Eubanks (United States) vs Benjamin Hassan (Lebanon)
Damian: Both players are not in top form, and this match might be less competitive. Eubanks has fallen outside the Top 100 and isn’t very strong on clay, while Hassan’s clay-court game is inconsistent.
Prediction: Hassan in 3
Shane: Eubanks has had a tough season and struggles on clay. Hassan, who plays frequently on clay, should have the upper hand.
Prediction: Hassan in 3
Yesh: Hassan’s entry into the Olympics boosts Lebanon’s representation, and with Eubanks’ current slump on clay, Hassan has a good chance.
Prediction: Hassan in 2
Tomas Machac (Czech Republic) vs Zhizhen Zhang (China)
Damian: Both players have had notable results this year, particularly in doubles. Zhang has been in better form and made tactical improvements.
Prediction: Zhang in 3
Shane: Machac has shown strong performances on clay this year. Zhang’s game may not withstand Machac’s resilience.
Prediction: Machac in 2
Yesh: This match promises to be competitive. Zhang’s higher ranking gives him an edge, though clay could level the playing field.
Prediction: Zhang in 3
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) vs Hady Habib (Lebanon)
Damian: Habib, ranked outside the Top 300, faces a significant challenge against the top-ranked Alcaraz. Alcaraz is likely to win comfortably.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 2
Shane: Despite potential fatigue from recent successes, Alcaraz should easily handle this match.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 2
Yesh: Habib’s Olympic invitation is a great opportunity, but the draw against Alcaraz is daunting.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 2
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