Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Roland Garros match.
On paper, the outcome of the first-round clash between Mattia Bellucci and Jack Draper seems all but decided. Jack Draper comes into Roland Garros as one of the key contenders and is expected to stamp his authority from the very first round.
Mattia Bellucci
Mattia Bellucci arrives at the tournament in a worrying run of form. He has lost each of his last five matches, managing to win just a single set in that stretch. His recent opponents have varied in calibre, with the highest-ranked being Pedro Martínez Portero, currently world No. 48. However, the most alarming loss came against Albert Ramos, ranked No. 251 in the ATP standings, where Mattia Bellucci fell 2:6, 2:6.
Jack Draper
Jack Draper was eliminated from the Rome Masters in the early stages, giving him a full two weeks to prepare for the French Open. He was defeated in the quarter-finals by Carlos Alcaraz (4:6, 4:6). However, just prior to that, Draper reached the final in Madrid, pushing Casper Ruud in a tightly contested match that ended 5:7, 6:3, 4:6. These types of competitive defeats are expected to enhance the resilience of the young Brit, who continues to develop with each tournament.
Mattia Bellucci vs Jack Draper Prediction
The gap in quality between the two players is significant. Mattia Bellucci has struggled to take sets off even mid-level opponents, which makes it difficult to see him threatening the world No. 5. A straight-sets victory for Jack Draper appears to be the most likely outcome.
