Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Mallorca match.
Gabriel Diallo continues his strong grass-court run across Europe and now faces Laslo Djere for a place in the Mallorca quarter-finals. Three years ago, the Canadian fell to the Serb in Davis Cup play, but the circumstances are now vastly different — Diallo is in superb form and well positioned for revenge.
Gabriel Diallo
Diallo (ATP No. 41) has hit peak form, winning seven of his last eight matches on grass since the spring. In that stretch, he’s defeated top-tier opponents such as Ugo Humbert (No. 20), Karen Khachanov (No. 19), and Jordan Thompson (No. 45). In his Mallorca opener, Diallo comfortably dispatched Jaume Munar, firing 11 aces and winning 71% of points behind his first serve — a clear demonstration of his serving power and control on fast courts.
Laslo Djere
Djere (ATP No. 62) is far more at home on clay, where he’s already claimed a title this season. Grass, however, has been a tough surface for him — he’s lost 18 of 28 career matches on it. The Serb tends to handle lower-ranked players reasonably well but struggles against top opposition. He’s lost four of his last five matches against top-50 players. In Mallorca, Djere edged past Bu Yunchaokete (No. 69), but that’s hardly the same level as facing a red-hot Diallo.
Gabriel Diallo vs Laslo Djere Prediction
Diallo clearly has the edge in terms of form, surface adaptation, and serving firepower. With a title in 's-Hertogenbosch already under his belt this season, the Canadian is poised for another deep run. Djere has little to show on grass and isn’t likely to change that here. Back Diallo to win with a modest game handicap.
