Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Gstaad match.
For Nikoloz Basilashvili, the ATP Gstaad tournament offers an opportunity to bounce back after a disappointing outing at the Challenger event in Trieste, where he unexpectedly fell in straight sets to 17-year-old Maxim Mrva, including a 6:0 set. Before that, Nikoloz Basilashvili had shown encouraging form: he defeated Lorenzo Musetti at Wimbledon and previously advanced through qualifying at Roland-Garros. This will be his first meeting with Arthur Cazaux, who comes into the match as the favourite.
Arthur Cazaux
Arthur Cazaux has struggled to deliver consistent performances on slower surfaces. Since the start of 2024, he has managed just one victory in six clay court matches. His overall career record on clay is evenly split, with 41 wins and 41 defeats. His run at Wimbledon was largely down to the quick conditions of the grass courts: Cazaux came through qualifying and managed to take a set off Alex de Minaur, before ultimately losing in straight sets.
Nikoloz Basilashvili
Nikoloz Basilashvili, by contrast, is steadily rebuilding his ranking and has already posted 26 wins from 46 matches this season. On clay, he reached the final at the Challenger in Bordeaux, where he lost in three sets to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (ATP No. 34). Despite some recent setbacks, he has recorded victories over several high-calibre clay court players this year — including Tallon Griekspoor, Brandon Nakashima, and Quentin Halys — all currently ranked inside the world’s top 50.
Arthur Cazaux vs Nikoloz Basilashvili Prediction
Nikoloz Basilashvili is clearly more at ease on clay, something that cannot be said for the French. The Georgian is expected to offer strong resistance against Arthur Cazaux and should be capable of avoiding a heavy loss.
