ATP Kitzbühel 1st Round Preview: Filip Misolic vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry
🧠 Form & Context
Filip Misolic
🎯 Home-court confidence: The Austrian returns to Kitzbühel, where he was a surprise finalist in 2022. That run still stands as his most impressive result at ATP level.
🔥 Red-hot clay form: Misolic is 35–10 on clay this season, going deep in Challenger events and recently making a quarterfinal run in Bastad as a qualifier.
📈 Momentum builder: Beat Ugo Carabelli, Borges, and Moller in three-set battles in Sweden before falling to the Argentine again. Overall, he has won 15 of his last 18 matches.
🧱 Physical edge: The 23-year-old has logged serious court time in recent months, showing durability and resilience in tight sets and long rallies.
Tomas Martin Etcheverry
🔻 Form dip: The Argentine is on a 4-match losing streak and has just 10 wins on clay this year (10–13), a notable drop from his 2023 top-30 surge.
🌫️ Confidence lacking: Since Hamburg SF in May, Etcheverry has lost early in Braunschweig, Gstaad, and even Wimbledon (to Pinnington Jones in straights).
📍 Past success here: Reached the semifinals in Kitzbühel last year and has a history of solid clay results, but nothing suggests he's near that level right now.
💥 Big-stage proven: Despite poor recent form, he's a former Roland Garros quarterfinalist with weapons to trouble anyone on his day.
🔍 Match Breakdown
Misolic enters with the better clay rhythm and match sharpness. He’s backed by altitude familiarity, crowd support, and a ton of recent match wins, mostly over decent opposition. His topspin-heavy forehand and deep returning game match well against Etcheverry’s more timing-based, flat hitting.
Etcheverry’s baseline patterns can still be effective at altitude, especially if he serves well and dictates. But his lack of rhythm, early exits, and visible drop in confidence could be costly against someone grinding out wins like Misolic.
The Argentine's quality is undeniable, but he has struggled to close matches in 2025—even in winnable spots. This looks like another trap if he’s not fully engaged or patient.
🔮 Prediction
Prediction: Misolic in 2 tight or 3 sets
Misolic is playing like a top-50 clay-courter right now, while Etcheverry is struggling to find form. Unless Etcheverry rediscovers his 2023-level timing and consistency quickly, this could tilt toward the Austrian.
