Sofia Open 2023 Day 2: Men's Singles Predictions ft. Miomir Kecmanovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut

The 2023 Sofia Open has a whopping 12 first-round matches scheduled on Tuesday. Defending champion Marc-Andrea Huesler already kicked off his campaign as he had to go through the qualifying rounds this time.

Huesler defeated Alexander Erler and Francesco Passaro in straight sets to book his place in the main draw. After being sidelined for the past few months, Roberto Bautista Agut is on the comeback trail.

The Spanish veteran is one of the few high-profile names in action on Tuesday. On that note, here's a look at the predictions for Day 2 of the Sofia Open:

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#1 - Miomir Kecmanovic vs Roberto Bautista Agut

Bautista Agut had a strong start to the year with a runner-up finish at the Adelaide International and a fourth round showing at the Australian Open. But following his exit from the season's first Major, he didn't win consecutive matches until the Halle Open, where he made the last four.

Bautista Agut then went on a three-match losing streak before taking some time off to recover from a physical issue. He returned to action after a three-month break at the Stockholm Open, where he fell at the opening hurdle.

Bautista Agut's fortunes didn't improve in Basel either, but he nabbed his first win since July at the Paris Masters. He defeated Jiri Lehecka before falling to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round.

With a 25-29 record for the season, Kecmanovic's results have been quite up and down. He made it to a couple of finals earlier this year, while more recently, he was a semifinalist in Stockholm. He's on a three-match losing streak at the moment, having lost his openers in Basel and Paris as well.

Kecmanovic is more match fit, but inconsistent. Bautista Agut is still getting his bearings on the court after a hiatus. But as the Spaniard demonstrated in Paris, if given an opening, he'll certainly make the most of his chances. If the Serb isn't at his best, the 35-year-old can pull off another upset to begin the Sofia Open.

Predicted winner: Miomir Kecmanovic

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#2 - Jack Draper vs Maximilian Marterer

Jack Draper will be making his Sofia Open debut.

Injuries once again stalled Draper's progress this year as he had to skip the entire grass season. He returned in time for the US Open and made it to the fourth round there. The Brit then reached the final of a Challenger event in Orleans and won the title at that level in Bergamo.

In between Draper contested in the Japan Open, where he lost to Alex de Minaur in the first round. He's now set for his return to the ATP tour. Marterer's best results have also come on the Challenger circuit this year, where he won a title, while his record on the ATP tour stands at 9-5.

Marterer did reach the semifinals of the European Open last month, but Draper has the game to outshine him at the Sofia Open. The latter's used to starting from scratch and will be keen to get some wins under his belt.

Predicted winner: Jack Draper

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#3 - Marton Fucsovics vs Terence Atmane

It has been a rather underwhelming season for Fucsovics so far. A lone semifinal in Stuttgart during the grass swing and a fourth round showing at the Indian Wells Masters have been the highlights of his year.

Atmane made his debut on the ATP tour at the Zhuhai Championships a few weeks ago, but lost in the first round. He then won his maiden tour level match at the Paris Masters with a three-set win over Jordan Thompson, but lost in the second round.

Atmane came through the qualifying rounds of the Sofia Open as well to seal his berth in the main draw. The French youngster is capable of causing a commotion here too, but Fucsovics should be able to handle the challenge to make it through.

Predicted winner: Marton Fucsovics

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#4 - Hamad Medjedovic vs Christopher O'Connell

Hamad Medjedovic will be making his debut at the Sofia Open.

While Medjedovic has won three titles on the Challenger circuit this year, his record on the ATP tour stands at 7-6. Those victories came during his semifinal runs in Gstaad and Astana.

O'Connell comparatively has had more success on the ATP tour, with a 18-22 record. However, he's going through a rough patch at the moment. Following his quarterfinal exit from the Chengdu Open, he lost in the first round of his next three tournaments.

With O'Connell's form taking a huge hit, this is a great opportunity for Medjedovic to aim for a good showing at the Sofia Open. The Serb will be backed to advance further given their recent results.

Predicted winner: Hamad Medjedovic