We take a look at the Round of 16 Matches from the Hamburg European Open taking place at Am Rothenbaum, Hamburg, Germany (Outdoor Clay-Courts) 
Am Rothenbaum, Hamburg, Germany (Outdoor Clay-Courts)
Hamburg European Open
Selected Round of 16 Matches- 23rd, 24th September
Roberto Bautista Agut (4) (1/4) vs Dominik Koepfer (26/10)
Bautista Agut is the man with the distinction of having beaten Novak Djokovic twice in one year. He beat the Serb twice in 2019, with his precision baseline style able to frustrate the normally ice-cool Djokovic. Bautista Agut is a solid professional with almost maniacal consistency. He reached his first ever Grand Slam semi-final on the grass of Wimbledon last year. Back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in Montreal and Cincinnati saw him break into the top 10 for the first time ever. But 2020 has been slightly erratic for the Spaniard (even minus the Covid drama). He played brilliantly at the ATP Cup but has since underwhelmed- notwithstanding a semi-final run at the Western and Southern Open. Bautista Agut is typically more successful on hardcourts, with only two of his 16 career finals coming on clay. But the way he demolished two-time defending champion Nikoloz Basilashvili indicated that he means business this week. He just became a dad for the first time and it seems to have emboldened him.
Dominik Koepfer certainly falls into the enigmatic category. Two weeks ago, I had never heard of the man. But then a herculean effort against Novak Djokovic in Rome brought him to the attention of the world. The 26-year-old German has really achieved very little thus far as a professional. But despite that he managed to reach the 4th round of last year’s US Open as a qualifier. Aside from a semi-final in a Challenger event in Dallas, 2020 seemed to have been yet another stumbling block. But last week’s performance in Rome has elevated his status immeasurably. He beat the likes of Simon, De Minaur and Monfils en route to the quarterfinal. He then pushed Djokovic in a thrilling three-set match, running the Serb ragged in the end. He needed three sets to overcome the tenacious Nishioka and will now look to pick up yet another massive scalp.
This is really a fascinating match-up. This will be their first meeting, which always adds that extra layer of uncertainty. It’s tempting to think that the German can keep his recent run going at home. His lefty angles have certainly bamboozled a few in recent weeks. But I’m inclined to think that Bautista Agut will have too much from the back of the caught, especially when you consider how much time the German has spent on court. Perhaps the value here is to opt for the Spaniard in three at 26/10.
Ugo Humbert (5/10) vs Jiri Vesely (31/20)
Ugo Humbert has officially become France’s best hope of success at Roland Garros (especially looking at Monfils’ form). He picked up his first-ever victory over a top 10 player with a commanding win over Russian heavyweight Danil Medvedev. This comes after his promising run last week in Rome. He beat both Kevin Anderson and Fabio Fognini to record his first two Masters 1000 victories. He currently holds a 14-8 record this year, including victory at the ASB Classic in January. He also reached the semi-finals of the Delray Beach event. The lefty- much like Koepfer- creates awkward angles and will pose a threat to anyone he faces.
Another lefty. They seem to be multiplying like Gremlins. The 27-year-old Czech has always been a player with a surprise in his locker. This is the man who beat both Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem in 2016: he also beat Alex Zverev last year. But the pugnacious Czech has largely had to ply his trade on the Challenger and Futures series, hoping to make minor impressions in events such as these. He won a Challenger event in November and then proceeded to underwhelm for some time. And then something rather miraculous happened. He won the Maharashtra Open February, picking up his first ATP title since 2015! Since then he has largely had middling success on the Challenger circuits. So, I was quite surprised to see how efficiently he dealt with Gilles Simon. He will see this as an amazing opportunity to make a completely unheralded ATP 500 semi-final.
A battle of lefties is always something to cherish in the day of right-hand dominance. These two met last year on the Challenger Tour, with Vesely emerging victorious in straight sets. But this would appear to be a very different incarnation of Humbert. Perhaps the best value here will be in a three-set victory for Humbert at 26/10.
