Alexandre Muller vs Benjamin Bonzi Prediction & Betting Tips - ASB Classic

Prediction published on 07/01/2024, 07:46  by Kennedy Kechula | Modified on 07/01/2024 at 13:40 in Tennis Predictions

The qualifier Alexander Muller and the unseeded Benjamin Bonzi will square off in the first round at the Auckland Open. A second-round showdown with third seed Francisco Cerundolo will then await the winner. Alexandre Muller defeated compatriot Constant Lestienne in three sets to confirm his place in the main draw. It has been a good start to his debut here and he will be eager to keep the momentum going. Muller has now won two of the three matches he has played this year. He was however defeated in the opening round in Canberra in his opening tournament of the year. The Frenchman is a strong performer on hard courts and has in his career compiled a 111-63 record on the surface. Last season, he registered 20 of his 46 total victories on hard courts. Advancing to this round has allowed him to move up two places in the live ranking to number 79.

Benjamin Bonzi defeated Muller the first and only time they met. This was on hard court in Winston-Salem last August. The victory will be very much fresh in his mind and he will be confident of another win here. Bonzi began his campaign with defeat as he was bundled out of the Hong Kong Tennis Open in the first round. The loss was his third in a row after he ended last year with back-to-back defeats. The Frenchman had a topsy-turvy season last year and finished with a 29-26 record. He lost eight of the 18 matches he contested on hard courts. Despite the inconsistencies, the current world number 73, did manage to end his long wait for a tour final and contested two.