Nine exciting first round matches are on the cards at the ATP 250 Hong Kong Open, with helpful ranking points and momentum at stake ahead of the Australian Open. LWOT previews four of the nine matches below; this set of predictions features the unpredictable and exciting Lorenzo Sonego.
ATP Hong Kong Day 2 Predictions
Laslo Djere vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-head: First meeting
Both players are veterans on tour, looking for a bigger rise in 2026. Giron briefly cracked the Top 50 midway through 2025, but his ranking slipped towards the end of the season — meanwhile, Djere returned to the Top 100 last season after a poor 2024. Both players are rather similar with all-court games; they are unafraid of the net, but lack firepower in big moments. The American is a bit more well-rounded on all surfaces, and his hard court experience might give him the edge.
Prediction: Giron in 3
Alejandro Tabilo vs Michael Mmoh
Head-to-head: First meeting
Mmoh has been looking for a big season breakthrough for quite some time. With his ranking now well outside the Top 200, the American got off to a solid start in 2026 with Hong Kong qualifying wins over higher ranked players. Tabilo, coming off a frustrating 2025 season, also had to qualify and similarly battled in two long matches. Both players should already be a bit tired, but Tabilo’s tour-level experience and lefty game should push him over the finish line.
Prediction: Tabilo in 3
Jan-Lennard Struff vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Head-to-head: Struff 2-1
Struff had a surprisingly poor 2025 season, ranked just outside the Top 80. The German has one of the strongest serves on tour, but his movement is vulnerable and can be exploited by all-court players like Van de Zandschulp. In the pair’s only hard court matchup, Van de Zandschulp cruised past Struff in a 2022 Australian Open straight sets win. I think this match comes down to break points and crucial serves, but Struff already has two qualifying wins under his belt, and he’s likely adjusted better to Hong Kong’s fast courts.
Prediction: Struff in 3
Lorenzo Sonego vs Rei Sakamoto
Head-to-head: First meeting
As one of the quickest players on tour, Sonego will have a lot to prove in 2026. A huge 2025 Australian Open quarterfinal run boosted the Italian’s ranking into the Top 35, but his form plateaued after that result. Hard courts bring out the best in Sonego, especially the Italian’s big forehand. Sakamato, at 19 years old, won an ATP Challenger title in Japan during his most recent tournament in November 2025, but he’s 0-3 at tour-level and probably does not have the aggressive game to keep up with the Italian.
Prediction: Sonego in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA TODAY Sports
