Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Mallorca match.
Felix Auger-Aliassime heads into the tournament following a string of disappointing outings in Stuttgart and Halle, while Arthur Rinderknech, already well into his grass-court campaign, appears well-positioned to take advantage of the moment.
Arthur Rinderknech
Currently ranked ATP No. 70, Arthur Rinderknech has enjoyed a promising start to the grass-court swing, winning five of his eight matches. However, among top-ranked opposition, his only notable victory came against Ben Shelton (No. 10). His remaining wins have been against players outside the top 30. It's worth noting that each of Rinderknech’s matches during this stretch has been closely contested, with every encounter featuring at least 22 games.
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Ranked ATP No. 27, Felix Auger-Aliassime has struggled for consistency. Four of his five grass-court matches this summer have included tie-breaks or gone to a deciding set. Nevertheless, the Canadian has posted impressive serving statistics in recent events in Germany, averaging an 80% first-serve success rate and 12 aces per match. It's also important to consider the quality of his opponents — he was eliminated early in both Halle and Stuttgart after facing Taylor Fritz (ATP No. 5) and Karen Khachanov (ATP No. 19), but convincingly beat lesser-ranked players.
Arthur Rinderknech vs Felix Auger-Aliassime Prediction
Arthur Rinderknech has adapted well to the grass surface and is capable of testing Felix Auger-Aliassime, which makes a case for backing Total Over in a combo bet. However, the Canadian has been highly dependable against opponents ranked outside the top 50 on grass. A tightly contested match is expected, with Felix Auger-Aliassime likely to come out on top in the end.
