Lloyd Harris vs Luckas Lacko Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Halle Open

Prediction published on 16/06/2021, 06:32  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 16/06/2021 at 07:42 in Tennis Predictions

The excitement of Roland Garros is history now and it's time for the grass court season. Lloyd Harris takes on Lukas Lacko in the second round of the Halle Open with the winner facing either Nikoloz Basilashvili or Arthur Rinderkneck. The bottom quarter of the draw has really opened up after the understandable withdrawal of French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and eighth seed Gael Monfils. It was Harris who beat Monfils doing so in straight sets. Harris began this week ranked 51st in the world and has been making strides up the list this year. He began 2021 in 90th place and was 98th this time last year. The South African made it to the last sixteen in Doha in March beating Stan Wawrinka. The final qualifying round for that tournament saw him beat Lukas Lacko in straight sets. Harris went on to reach the final in Dubai beating Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov before losing to Aslan Karatsev in the final. Other notable wins this year have been against Grigor Dimitrov, Lorenzo Sonego and then Gael Monfils in Halle. In terms of ranking points earned this year, Harris is 39th. He's not had the best of luck in the past on grass and  the win over Monfils was his first on the surface, though in 2019 he did take a set off Roger Federer at Wimbledon.  

Lukas Lacko is the world 214 so it'll be a big surprise if the 33-year-old can make it to the Halle quarter final. As 2021 began, the Slovakian was ranked 200th and 172nd this time of the year.  He had to qualify to get into the main draw. Two matches were won and that included a victory over Egor Gerasimov who was the second seed in the qualifying rounds. He then took on the 11th seed and had to come from behind to beat Joao Sousa. The first round saw him defeat Guido Pella, again losing the first set. Lacko is a former world number 44 but that was eight years ago. In 2018 he made it to the final of the Eastbourne grass court tournament, losing to Alexander Zverev. His best performance at Wimbledon has been reaching the third round five years ago. Most of his tournaments this year have been on the Challenger Tour with a semi-final early on in the year but precious little until this week in Halle. He's tied 266th in the yearly ranking points list. Back Harris to get the win here.