French tennis player Constant Lestienne played his last match at the prestigious tournament in Rotterdam, where he played in the main draw. In the 1/16 finals, he met Arthur Fils, but lost to his compatriot. Lestienne and Ajdukovic have met before – on a clay-court tournament in Lüdenscheid, Germany. Back then, the Croatian secured a convincing victory, which may give him confidence heading into this match. However, it is important to note that the previous encounter was on clay, whereas this match will be played on hard courts, where Lestienne holds an advantage.
ATP Ranking: 169th (Career-high – 65th).
Playing Style: A left-hander with a solid return game and the ability to sustain long rallies.
Current Form: Played 14 matches on hard courts this season, winning 9. His last tournament was in Rotterdam, where he lost to Arthur Fils in the Round of 32.
Achievements: 9 Challenger titles, 8 of which were on hard courts.
Strengths: Experience, consistency in baseline rallies, and adaptability to fast-paced play.
Weaknesses: Inconsistency in crucial moments, struggles against aggressive players.
In turn, Duže Ajduković demonstrates an interesting pattern: he confidently overcomes the opening round, but invariably suffers a defeat in the second match. This situation was repeated at the tournament in Chennai. At the moment, Lestienne occupies 169th place in the ATP ranking, while his best result is 65th place. Duse Ajdukovic is currently ranked 158th, last year the Croatian climbed to his highest position, 142nd.
ATP Ranking: 158th (Career-high – 142nd).
Playing Style: An aggressive baseliner with a strong serve and powerful groundstrokes.
Current Form: Played 5 hard-court matches in 2025, winning 2. This season, he has shown a pattern of winning his first match but losing the second.
Achievements: 8 titles, including 6 on clay and 2 on hard courts.
Strengths: Big serve, aggressive play, and solid physical conditioning.
Weaknesses: Lack of experience in prolonged matches, inconsistency on hard courts.
This match promises to be a tight contest. The Frenchman has more experience on hard courts and excels in long rallies, while the Croatian boasts a powerful serve and aggressive shot-making. Given the circumstances, we expect a closely contested battle with extended gameplay.
Prediction: Constant Lestienne to win – He is more consistent on this surface and has greater experience. Total games over 21.5 – Expect a prolonged fight, potentially featuring tie-breaks. Odds: Lestienne to win – approximately 1.75–1.80. Ajdukovic to win – 2.00–2.20. Total games over 21.5 – 1.51.
This match will not be an easy one for either player, but Lestienne appears to have the upper hand. However, Ajdukovic has already proven he can challenge strong opponents. Given these factors, betting on a high number of games seems to be the most reasonable option. Regardless, fans can expect an exciting and closely contested encounter!
