The Grandstand

Stuttgart QF previews and predictions: Lehecka vs. Tiafoe, Bublik vs. Mpetshi Perricard

Ricky — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:47:33 +0000

Quarterfinal Friday at the Stuttgart ATP 250 features an all-seeded showdown between Jiri Lehecka and Frances Tiafoe. Alexander Bublik is also looking for a place in the semis as he prepares to face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

(4) Jiri Lehecka vs. (6) Frances Tiafoe

Tiafoe is looking to bounce back from a brutal French Open loss as begins his grass-court swing at the BOSS Open. The 26th-ranked American led eventual semifinalist Matteo Arnaldi two sets to one and 4-1, 40-15 in the fourth only to fall in a five-set marathon. Tiafoe has rebounded nicely so far in Stuttgart, where he is a former champion (2023). The No. 6 seed opened with a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 victory over Daniel Altmaier before easing past Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-4.

Up next for Tiafoe on Friday is a quarterfinal contest against Lehecka, who trails the head-to-head series 2-1. They met on grass at this same tournament in 2023, when Tiafoe got the job done 7-6(2), 6-4 on his way to the title. The 28-year-old also prevailed 6-4, 6-7(10), 7-6(5) at the 2024 Cincinnati Masters before Lehecka dominated their most recent showdown 6-3, 6-2 in 2025 Davis Cup competition. The 12th-ranked Czech needed a third-set tiebreaker to outlast James Duckworth on Thursday, but improvement can be expected with his first grass-court of the summer in his rearview mirror.

Pick: Lehecka in 3

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs. (3) Alexander Bublik

Bublik and Mpetshi Perricard will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers on Friday. Mpetshi Perricard leads the head-to-head series 2-1 after prevailing twice on clay — 6-4, 7-5 in the 2024 Lyon semifinals and 7-6(6), 6-4 last spring in Hamburg. Bublik won their first encounter 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 three years ago on the indoor hard courts of Antwerp.

You would obviously think that Mpetshi Perricard is a force on grass based on his humongous serve, and that still could turn out to be the case. Early returns on the surface, however, have been lukewarm aside from a fourth-round performance at Wimbledon in 2024. It’s worth noting, though, that’s the 6’7” Frenchman needed a lucky-loser spot in the main draw before that run began. Mpetshi Perricard has advanced this week with wins over lucky loser Roman Safiullin (in a third-set tiebreaker) and qualifier Gauthier Onclin, while Bublik beat Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 on Wednesday. The 11th-ranked Kazakh is superior form and has a more encouraging grass-court history, so he should advance.

Pick: Bublik in 3

The post Stuttgart QF previews and predictions: Lehecka vs. Tiafoe, Bublik vs. Mpetshi Perricard appeared first on The Grandstand.

‘s-Hertogenbosch QF preview and prediction: De Minaur vs. Bonzi

Ricky — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 19:03:36 +0000

Alex de Minaur could not be happier to get off clay and take his talents to the grass-court swing. De Minaur went 5-6 in his last 11 clay-court matches, but — unsurprisingly — he is off to winning start on the lawns after beating Martin Damm 7-6(8), 7-5 at the Libema Open on Wednesday.

Up next for the sixth-ranked Australian on quarterfinal Friday is a sixth showdown against Benjamin Bonzi, who trails the head-to-head series 3-2 (3-1 on the main tour). They have never met on grass and they have not faced each other since 2023, when De Minaur prevailed in straight sets at the Aussie Open before Bonzi did the same on the indoor hard courts of Marseille.

The 99th-ranked Frenchman did well to defeat Ugo Humbert 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in round two, but De Minaur presents an even tougher test.

Pick: De Minaur in 2

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Dan Evans announces retirement from tennis after Wimbledon

Ricky — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:17:48 +0000

Dan Evans will retire from tennis at Wimbledon this summer, he announced via a social media post on Thursday. Evans, 36, has played only five matches this season — none in the main draw of any tournament.

“After an incredible journey, I wanted to share some personal news with you all,” the Brit wrote on Instagram. “I will be retiring from professional tennis following this year’s Wimbledon championships. This sport has given me everything. The friendships, the experiences, the battles and even the hard days were special in hindsight. I have loved every single minute of being a professional tennis player. To my parents, my wife and my family, thank you for your unwavering support through every high and low. None of this would have been possible without your support.

“To every coach, trainer, physio, sponsor and member of my team over the years, the list is too long to name individually, but each of you played a part in shaping my career and I am truly grateful. Representing Great Britain in both Davis Cup and the Olympics remains the greatest honour of my career and something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I’m looking forward to finishing on a high across these final two tournaments and giving everything I have one last time. Thank you for the support. Evo.”

Evans peaked at No. 21 in the world as recently as 2023, enjoying a second-half of his career resurgence. At the 2024 U.S. Open, Evans won the longest match in tournament history — beating Karen Khachanov 6-7(6), 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 in five hours and 35 minutes after trailing 0-4, 15-40 in the fifth set.

The two-time ATP title winner has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam twice (2017 Australian Open, 2021 U.S. Open). His best Wimbledon result is the third round (2016, 2019, 2021).

106

Who will win Wimbledon?

Jannik Sinner

Alexander Zverev

Novak Djokovic

Felix Auger-Aliassime

Ben Shelton

Daniil Medvedev

Taylor Fritz

Joao Fonseca

Nick Kyrgios

If 'Other' is filled, checked answers are ignored.

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Stuttgart R2 preview and prediction: Fritz vs. Landaluce

Ricky — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 02:19:19 +0000

Taylor Fritz has been less than 100 percent physically this season, but the grass-court swing should be just what the doctor ordered. The ninth-ranked American has been incredible on this surface in recent years. Half of his 10 career ATP titles have come on the green stuff, including three in the past two seasons. Fritz has also reached at least the quarterfinals in three of his last four trips to Wimbledon, including the semifinals last summer.

Martin Landaluce is coming off a memorable French Open campaign in which he played three five-setters — ultimately losing to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in a third-round match that lasted almost six hours. The 20-year-old Spaniard played well on grass last summer and did well to beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the BOSS Open first round, but he remains a relative novice on this surface — certainly compared to Fritz.

Given Fritz’s recent inactivity, this would possibly be a toss-up on a hard court or clay. Grass, though, gives a clear edge to Stuttgart’s No. 2 seed.

Pick: Fritz in 2

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Stuttgart R2 previews and predictions: Shelton vs. Giron, Shimabukuro vs. Kyrgios

Ricky — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:05:00 +0000

Following a first-round bye, top seed Ben Shelton will kick off his Stuttgart campaign against Marcos Giron on Thursday. Nick Kyrgios will try to build on his opening win when he faces Sho Shimabukuro during second-round action.

(1) Ben Shelton vs. Marcos Giron

Shelton and Giron will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers when they clash in round two of the BOSS Open on Thursday. Although Shelton is a sizable favorite in this showdown between fellow Americans, Giron has been extremely competitive in this matchup. The world No. 88 trails the head-to-head series 2-1, but he defeated Shelton in straight sets at the 2023 Delray Beach tournament and then lost twice in three sets — at the 2023 Tokyo ATP 500 and this spring on the red clay of Hamburg.

This is another decent opportunity for Giron, who already has a win under his belt in Stuttgart after beating Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(3), 7-5 on Tuesday. Shelton is playing his first match on grass following an up-and-down clay swing. The world No. 5 triumphed in Munich but then lost early in Madrid, Rome, Hamburg, and Roland Garros. A move to grass should be just what the doctor ordered for Shelton’s booming serve, but it’s never easy against a tough competitor in Giron.

Pick: Shelton in 3

(Q) Sho Shimabukuro vs. (WC) Nick Kyrgios

Kyrgios playing for the first time since January in Brisbane. Tuesday marked just his eighth match since the start of 2023, but it went as well as he possibly could have hoped. The 31-year-old Australian, who currently has no ranking but will be back on the charts next week, ousted No. 8 seed Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-4.

Up next for Kyrgios on Thursday is a first-ever meeting with Shimabukuro. It has already been one of the more productive weeks in Shimabukuro’s career on the main tour, as he qualified for the field of 28 and then crushed Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-2 in the first round. The 28-year-old from Japan had previously been 1-4 at the ATP level this season and 6-13 for his career. Shimabukuro has already won five grass-court matches this summer, so he should not be underestimated. Moreover, it is far from a guarantee that Kyrgios will be able to string together two solid performances in succession.

Pick: Shimabukuro in 3

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‘s-Hertogenbosch R2 previews and predictions: Auger-Aliassime vs. Fucsovics, Mannarino vs. Rinderknech

Ricky — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:01:00 +0000

Top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime will begin his title bid in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on Thursday, with Marton Fucsovics on the other side of the net. Also on the second-round schedule is an all-French affair between Arthur Rinderknech and Adrian Mannarino.

(1) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Marton Fucsovics

Auger-Aliassime and Fucsovics will be facing each other for the seventh time in their careers and for the second time this season when they meet again in round two of the Libema Open on Thursday. The head-to-head series stands at 4-2 in Auger-Aliassime’s favor, and he has won four of their last five encounters after most recently prevailing 7-6(3), 7-5 at the Miami Masters.

Thursday’s showdown promises to be another good one, because both players are extremely adept on grass. Auger-Aliassime, who likes to keep points short with a big serve-forehand combination, is a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist. The fourth-ranked Canadian is coming off a mixed bag of results at Roland Garros; he reached the quarterfinals thanks in part to a favorable draw but suffered a disappointing loss to Flavio Cobolli. Fucsovics is 48-28 lifetime on grass and already has a good win in ‘s-Hertogenbosch under his belt, taking down Hubert Hurkacz in a third-set tiebreaker. An upset is possible, but chances are good that FAA will once again have the upper hand in this matchup.

Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 3

Adrian Mannarino vs. (4) Arthur Rinderknech

The most important part of Mannarino’s season lasts only four weeks — or five if he makes a deep run at Wimbledon. There is no time to waste for the 37-year-old Frenchman when he steps onto the grass, because wins are very hard to come by for him on any other surface at this point in his career. Mannarino’s summer on the slick stuff got off to a positive start on Tuesday, when the world No. 46 defeated defending champion Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Up next for Mannarino on Thursday is fourth contest against Rinderknech, who trails the head-to-head series 2-1. Grass is also a decent surface for the 24th-ranked Frenchman, who is 22-21 all time on the lawns and beat both Ben Shelton and Reilly Opelka en route to the Queen’s Club quarterfinals last summer (lost to Carlos Alcaraz). Unfortunately for Rinderknech, he is just 6-9 in his last 15 matches and this a nightmare grass-court matchup as he makes the transition from clay following a first-round bye at this tournament.

Pick: Mannarino in 3

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Kyrgios wins comeback match in Stuttgart over Moutet in straight sets

Ricky — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:21:11 +0000

Nick Kyrgios was back in the winners’ circle on Tuesday.

Playing for the first time since January (Brisbane), Kyrgios kicked off his BOSS Open campaign with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Corentin Moutet in the opening round. The 31-year-old Australian struck eight aces compared to just one double-fault while advancing in one hour and eight minites.

“It’s quite emotional, to be honest,” Kyrgios commented. “I’ve had a lot of surgeries just to come back here and I felt the love from the get-go,” Kyrgios said. “I’m so thrilled to be back and playing some high-level tennis, as well.”

Back like he never left

Kyrgios records his first grass court win since Wimbledon 2022 with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Moutet!@boss__open | #BOSSOpen pic.twitter.com/nzhfkROGdE
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) June 9, 2026

Prior to arriving in Stuttgart, Kyrgios had played just seven matches since the start of 2023. He currently has no ATP ranking.

The former Wimbledon runner-up is joined in the last 16 by Sho Shimabukuro, James Duckworth, Marcos Giron, Frances Tiafoe, Rinky Hijikata, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Gauthier Onclin, Jan-Lennard Struff, and Yannick Hanfmann. Tiafoe battled past Daniel Altmaier in three sets on Tuesday.

“(The) first match on grass court is always tricky,” Tiafoe assured. “(It was) my first match since my tough match at Roland Garros (a five-set loss to Matteo Arnaldi in the fourth round). So it was nice to get a win.”

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San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks Game 4 preview, picks, and predictions

Ricky — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:13:21 +0000

The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks will contest Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. All three matchups so far have been won by the road team, leaving New York with a 2-1 series advantage. The Knicks had a chance to seize a commanding 3-0 lead but lost at home on Monday.

Let’s dive into my Spurs vs. Knicks NBA Finals Game 4 prediction.

San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks odds

Money line: Spurs +115 / Knicks -135
Spread: Spurs +2.5 (-115) / Knicks -2.5 (-105)
Total: Over 216.5 (-110) / Under 216.5 (-110)

San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks best bet #1: Under 216.5 (-110)

Game 3 was a relatively high-scoring affair with 226 points scored, but there are reasons to think that order will be restored on Wednesday. It’s not like both teams were scoring on a consistent basis from start to finish on Monday. If not for the Knicks’ 42-point onslaught in the second quarter, another Under probably would have cashed. Encouraging for each team’s defense is that the fourth quarter produced a total of 43 points (a 23-20 margin in San Antonio’s favor).

This series began with a pair of low-scoring contests in San Antonio. New York took both, winning 105-95 in the opener and 105-104 in Game 2. The Knicks have allowed more than 108 points only twice in their entire playoff run and have held opponents to fewer than 100 points on five occasions. The Spurs have limited opponents to 105 points or fewer in five of their last seven games dating back to the Western Conference Finals against OKC.

San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks best bet #2: Stephon Castle first basket (+800)

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns somehow won the tip in Game 1, but — as you would expect — Spurs star Victor Wembanyama corralled it in both Game 2 and Game 3. Wemby is 7’4’’ with a wingspan of 8’0’’; Towns is 7’0’’ with a wingspan of 7’4’’. Unsurprisingly, San Antonio has won 78.6 percent of tipoffs this season; New York checks in at 51.5 percent in that department.

Assuming the visitors gain possession right away, Castle has great value to deliver the first basket. He has attempted the game’s first shot 13.6 percent of the time this season, which is fourth on the team but basically even with De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell (Wembanyama is way ahead at 27.0 percent). Castle should be extremely confident, too, following his Monday efforts. The former UConn standout went 8-for-14 from the field for 23 points. Castle has attempted at least 14 shots in four straight games dating back to the West finals.

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‘s-Hertogenbosch R1 previews and predictions: Griekspoor vs. Van de Zandschulp, Hurkacz vs. Fucsovics

Ricky — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:53:57 +0000

First-round action in ‘s-Hertogenbosch continues on Tuesday, when an all-Dutch showdown features Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp. The order of play also includes Hubert Hurkacz and Marton Fucsovics.

Tallon Griekspoor vs. Botic van de Zandschulp

The Libema Open draw ceremony was not kind to the host nation, as their two biggest title hopes will square off in round one. Tuesday marks the sixth meeting between Griekspoor and Van de Zandschulp, with Griekspoor leading the head-to-head series 3-2 (2-1 at the ATP level). He has won each of their last two encounters in straight sets — 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at the 2023 Australian Open and 7-5, 6-3 on the indoor hard courts of Montpellier early in 2025.

It has been a bit of a rough 2026 campaign for both Dutchmen. Griekspoor is 8-12 this season, including a horrendous 3-7 on clay. The world No. 41 has won just a single ATP-level match since finishing runner-up at the Dubai ATP 500 in February. Van de Zandschulp comes in with a decent 12-10 main-tour record for the year, but he is on a three-match losing streak that dates back to the Rome third round. Based mostly on recent head-to-head history, Griekspoor should have the upper hand in a match in which both participants could really use a win.

Pick: Griekspoor in 3

Hubert Hurkacz vs. Marton Fucsovics

It should be a fantastic grass-court matchup when Hurkacz and Fucsovics collide for the fourth time in their careers on Tuesday. Hurkacz is a former Wimbledon semifinalist (2021), while Fucsovics is 47-28 lifetime on the lawn. Even though neither man has played great in 2026, whoever wins could be in line to advance a long, long way in Stuttgart.

The head-to-head series stands at 3-0 in Fucsovics’ favor, but Hurkacz has been competitive on every occasion. All three matches have required a third set, including a decisive tiebreaker at the 2018 Cincinnati Masters and a 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-3 result last summer on the grass of Stuttgart. The Pole should be able to finally turn the tide on Tuesday; his huge serve is especially formidable on grass, plus Fucsovics is in the midst of a woeful five-match losing streak.

Pick: Hurkacz in 3

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San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks Game 3 preview, pick, and prediction

Ricky — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 22:08:00 +0000

The New York Knicks can put themselves on the doorstep of a championship when they host Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. New York went into San Antonio and took each of the first two contests, extending its winning streak to an incredible 13 games. That’s right; the Knicks have not lost since Game 3 of their first-round series against the Hawks.

Let’s dive into my Spurs vs. Knicks NBA Finals Game 3 prediction.

San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks odds

Money line: Spurs +110 / Knicks -130
Spread: Spurs +2.5 (-110) / Knicks -2.5 (-110)
Total: Over 216.5 (-105) / Under 216.5 (-115)

San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks best bet: Under 216.5 (-115)

The NBA Finals began with a pair of low-scoring affairs in San Antonio. New York took both, winning 105-95 in the series opener and 105-104 this past Friday. The total came down only from 217.5 to 216.5 after Game 1 and has not moved at all going into Game 3, so the value remains on the under. Throughout the playoffs, the Knicks’ defense has been amazing — this after being quite stout during the regular season, as well (fifth in the NBA in scoring defense at 110.1 ppg allowed). New York has given up more than 108 points only once in its entire playoff run and has limited opponents to fewer than 100 points on five occasions.

The Spurs are not too shabby, themselves, on the defensive end. After allowing 111.5 ppg during the regular season, they have held opponents to 105 points or fewer in five of their last six games dating back to the Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Thunder. San Antonio, of course, is led by NBA Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama. The Frenchman has struggled with his shot in these NBA Finals so far (40.5 percent from the floor, 26.7 percent from three-point land) but has delivered seven blocks and three steals through two contests.

Of concern for the Western Conference representatives is that they scored just 104 points in Game 2 even though De’Aaron Fox went for 20. And what’s to say they will get that kind of production from him again? Fox, who is making his way back from an ankle injury, has been limited to single-digits in three of the last five games.

The under is 3-1 San Antonio’s last four overall, 6-3 in New York’s last nine at home, and 3-0 in the last three head-to-head meetings.

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