ATP Istanbul: First Round Schedule and Predictions

The first ever TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open is under way in Turkey, although fans will have to wait one more day to see Roger Federer in action. The first round schedule puts a mixture of local players and the lower seeds into action on the main court.

Order of Play and Predictions

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

GARANTI KOZA ARENA

Start 12:00 noon

[Q] Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) v [6] Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ)

An all Kazakhstan affair, which is certainly something you don’t see all too often on the ATP tour. The Davis Cup team mates won’t have many secrets on the court, although they have never met in a competitive match. Kukushkin is often underrated and should ease through barring any major dramas. Kukushkin in two

Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) v [WC] Cem Ilkel (TUR)

A tricky encounter for the Turkish wild card Ilklel, who is the world number 422. Part of the beauty of spreading tennis to new places like Istanbul is giving these lower ranked players a chance in the main draw of an ATP event. However Gimeno-Traver will have too much for him, especially on the clay. Gimeno-Traver in two

Not Before 5:30 pm

Marsel Ilhan (TUR) v Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

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Ilhan has the best chance of progression of all the Turkish players in the Istanbul draw, having earned his place in the tournament on merit. The world number 80 will see Nieminen as an equally matches opponent who is not at the level he once was. Ilhan in three

[5] Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) v Ivan Dodig (CRO)

One of the trickier matches to call on day one in Istanbul, Dodig is such a grinder that on a clay court it is difficult to ever totally rule him out. Haider-Maurer really has crept up the rankings to his current career high of world number 47 and is not to be underestimated, beating Dodig in three sets in Bucharest last week. Haider-Maurer in two

COURT 1

Start 12:00 noon

Damir Dzumhur (BIH) v [WC] Andrey Rublev (RUS)

Jurgen Melzer (AUT) v Steve Darcis (BEL)

Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) v [Q] Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS)

COURT 2

Start 12:00 noon

[Q] Blaz Kavcic (SLO) v [8] Diego Schwartzman (ARG)

Not Before 1:30 pm

Denis Istomin (UZB) v Benoit Paire (FRA)

[Q] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Dusan Lajovic (SRB)

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