Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Gstaad match.
In the opening round at the alpine resort of Gstaad, Roberto Carballes Baena spent over an hour longer on court than Francisco Comesana.
Francisco Comesana
The Argentine secured a straight-sets victory, requiring just 19 games (6:3, 6:4) to overcome fellow countryman Marco Trungelliti. However, his opponent was a qualifier ranked in the mid-100s. This marked Francisco Comesana’s first win in his last five tournaments, having previously suffered first-round eliminations on each occasion. His seeded status contributed to a more favourable draw this time.
Roberto Carballes Baena
Currently ranked 79th in the ATP standings, five places below Francisco Comesana, Roberto Carballes Baena entered the tournament unseeded. As a result, he faced a stiffer challenge in Carlos Taberner, who is ranked just inside the top 200. Their match stretched to 2 hours and 33 minutes, with much of that time taken up by a deciding set that went to a tiebreak. The more experienced Roberto Carballes Baena eventually edged it (7:5).
Francisco Comesana vs Roberto Carballes Baena Prediction
Both the physically demanding first-round encounter and his age may prove detrimental for Roberto Carballes Baena. At 32, he is eight years older than Francisco Comesana. While they have never played each other before, the prediction leans towards Comesana, who holds a solid clay-court record this season at 17:12.
