Grigor Dimitrov vs Tomas Machac Prediction: Battle of Formidable Servers in Vienna; Dimitrov's Experience vs Machac's Emerging Talent

The Round of 16 gets a quality matchup at the ATP 500 Vienna tournament, as experience will clash with youth when Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov meets the Czech rising star Tomas Machac. Current No. 9 in the ATP rankings, Dimitrov comes into this match on the back of good performances this year. In equal consistency is his opponent Machac, ranked No. 27 in the ATP standings, who slowly crept up the rankings. Both men have won 7 of their last 10 matches, setting up a fascinating encounter at the Wiener Stadthalle. Pitted against each other will be Dimitrov's smooth, fluid all-court game and Machac's powerhouse serve as this match holds out the promise of being hard-fought with contrasting styles at play.

That makes this contest all the more intriguing when Grigor Dimitrov meets Tomas Machac for the first time in his career. Dimitrov has a significant experience advantage, having spent over a decade at the very top of the sport, while Machac is still somewhat fresh to the big scene. There is no past between these two players, so neither competitor will enter the match encumbered by psychological issues; thus, the competition should be clean and wide open.

Grigor Dimitrov had a resurgent year of deep runs consistently in ATP tournaments this year, including a strong start here in Vienna where he dispatched Zhizhen Zhang in straight sets. All-around skills from Dimitrov feature his powerful one-handed backhand and years of experience that make him an opponent for anyone on the tour.

The great variety and the adaptability of the game rest with Dimitrov. He will try to disrupt Machac's rhythm by mixing up his shots. The strong baseline gameplay will likely be interspersed with trips to the net to keep the Czech guessing. Dimitrov's serve, while not as overpowering compared to some of his peers, contains precision in its placement, with the player seeking to develop points from his first serve into his strong forehand.

He will also be looking to return, on second serves at least, and capitalize on the Czech player's weaker second serve. Dimitrov can take the ball extremely early and place it deep, making life very uncomfortable for any server, which he will seek to do, forcing Machac back and into baseline rallies he'd rather avoid. His first-serve return statistics of 26% look modest enough, yet his reading of serves and ability to apply pressure at key moments shouldn't be underestimated.

Where Machac has silently been causing ripples, earning his place in the top 30, the recent victory over Fabian Marozsan in the previous round underlined his serving and shot-making ability, but his returning game remains one of the top areas of his game that needs improvement.

For Machac, the main weapon will be his serve. First serve percentage-55%, points won off the second serve-64%-are indicative that he gets the first serve in and thereby can dictate the rallies. The best way to trouble Dimitrov will be for Machac to keep a high percentage of first serves and try to make the points short. His ground game will need to be good, too, as Dimitrov is one of the best at changing of pace during rallies. Machac is going to have to stay aggressive-especially off his forehand side-or he'll get pushed around the court.

As for returning, Machac needs to bring a higher level of pressure if he wants to take down Dimitrov's serve. Though Dimitrov was somewhat vulnerable in his last match, he ended up converting just two break points of many chances that came his way and is very much capable of making all the difference when it really matters.

On paper, Dimitrov has the upper hand thanks to a few more years of experience and an overall more complete game. The variation in his shots, the possibility to control the pace of play, and the changing of tactics during a match will make it hard for Machac to find a rhythm. With Dimitrov in particular, his serving has been one of the strengths of his game this season, and indeed an 89% success rate in his last match, so unless Machac can do better than his return stats this season suggest he's capable of, Dimitrov should hold comfortably.

All said and done, Machac is not a force to be trifled with. His first serve can immediately put the opponent on his back foot, and if he can manage to land a high percentage, Dimitrov will have his work cut out. However, the vulnerability on second serves, along with his lack of break-point conversion in his last match does leave him exposed against a clinical player like Dimitrov. Machac might stay within striking distance in the first set, especially if serving well, but Dimitrov has that extra gear and is really able to ramp up his level when it matters most, which will likely see him through.

• Grigor Dimitrov Wins First Set & Match @ 1.833 Odds
• Grigor Dimitrov (-1.5) Sets Handicap @ 2.19 Odds
• Grigor Dimitrov Wins 2-0 @ 2.37 Odds