Thiago Monteiro vs Felipe Meligeni Alves Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Rio Open

Prediction published on 21/02/2024, 06:25  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 21/02/2024 at 07:25 in Tennis Predictions

We're guaranteed an unseeded player from Brazil in the quarter finals of the Rio Open. Wild card Thiago Monteiro faces qualifier Felipe Meligene Alves in round two of this clay court tournament. In the quarter finals, the winner will face either fifth seed Sebastian Baez or unseeded Facundo Diaz Acosta. Monteiro only had to play two games in 18 minutes in his first round match. He was up against top seed Carlos Alcaraz but the Spaniard retired at 1-1 in the first set due to an ankle injury. That win took Monteiro to 115th in the live rankings. It took him up 46 places in the ATP Live Race and he's now 86th. The Brazilian has won four of his six matches this year, all coming on clay courts. Half those victories came when reaching the quarter finals of a Challenger Tour event. He's had one previous match against his opponent. That was a Challenger Tour match and Monteiro won in straight sets.

While it's taken Monteiro just 18 minutes to reach round two, Alves has had to be on court for just over five hours. He's ranked 153rd in the latest list and had to qualify to get into the main draw. He beat Alex Molcan and Juan Martin Cerundolo in the qualifers without losing a set. That took him into the first round where he beat Pedro Cachin in three sets, losing the middle one. Those three wins have seen him rise to 130th in the live rankings. Over 230 places have been climbed in the Live ATP Race with him now 119th. Alves has made it to the second round of an ATP Tour event for the first time this year but we tip Monteiro to win.