Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP 500 match.
Both players triumphed in the first round against opponents who were once in the top 3, but as their time fades, it's the turn of these 22-year-olds to step up. They will battle it out to see who deserves a spot in the Vienna tournament quarterfinals.
Luciano Darderi
The Italian played a part in the final match of Dominic Thiem's career, but that's another story. It was already known that the tournament in his native Austria’s capital would be Thiem's last. The 31-year-old US Open winner and former world number three couldn’t overcome the challenge posed by the world number 42 (6:7, 2:6).
Jack Draper
The Briton, on the other hand, dealt with Japan's Kei Nishikori, who once held the fourth spot in the rankings. He's now nearly 35 and ranks 141st in the world, though as recently as August, he was in the sixth hundred. Draper narrowly got past the veteran: it took him 1 hour and 36 minutes and 25 games to win (7:6, 7:5). Thanks to his youth, the world number 18 dominated the medium and long exchanges (65-35%). However, the Japanese player was more successful in shorter rallies (38-62%).
Luciano Darderi vs Jack Draper Prediction
Bookmakers clearly favour Jack Draper, although there are only 24 ranking positions separating the players. Betting on the Briton doesn't promise much in terms of returns. Of course, it wouldn't be surprising if he wins, but we’d advise opting for Darderi with a handicap, considering the lingering effects of Draper's withdrawal from the Tokyo quarterfinal and his pull-out from the Shanghai Masters.
