Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Rotterdam match.
Both players advanced to the next round of this ATP 500 event in straight sets, but the Australian had a significantly tougher time closing out his match.
Jakub Mensik
The 19-year-old Czech made quick work of Alexander Bublik, winning 6:4, 6:4 in just one hour. Bublik barely put up resistance, managing only one break-point opportunity, which he failed to convert. Meanwhile, his own service games were a struggle, often dragging on for over eight minutes. Mensik has already proven himself capable of causing upsets. At Australian Open 2025, he defeated 14th-ranked Holger Rune in four sets, showcasing his potential to trouble top opponents.
Alex de Minaur
The third seed in Rotterdam had a much tougher time against 34-year-old David Goffin. While the scoreline (6:2, 6:4) suggests a routine victory, the match lasted 1 hour 36 minutes, with six games extending beyond eight minutes. The longest game came in the second set, where a 10-point service game by Goffin lasted 12.5 minutes.
Jakub Mensik vs Alex de Minaur Prediction
Despite his young age, Mensik has already faced De Minaur once before, in the Vienna 2024 quarter-finals, where the match went the full distance (6:7, 6:3, 6:4) and lasted 2 hours 35 minutes. Mensik has shown a pattern of playing extended matches this season, with all six of his matches at his previous two tournaments going beyond two sets. Given that De Minaur had a physically demanding first-round match, there’s a strong chance this match will also go the distance.
