Second-round motion in Cincinnati will get underway on Tuesday with Andrey Rublev kicking off his marketing campaign in opposition to Emil Ruusuvuori. One of many remaining first-rounders options Alex de Minaur and J.J. Wolf.
Emil Ruusuvuori vs. (7) Andrey Rublev
Rublev will attempt to bounce again from a gap loss in Toronto to Mackenzie McDonald when he takes the court docket in spherical two of the Western & Southern Open on Tuesday. It has been a principally productive season for the world No. 8 (40-16 file with two titles–together with one in Monte-Carlo), however following a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon and a title in Bastad he additionally fell early in Hamburg (second spherical to Daniel Altmaier). Nonetheless, the excellent news for Rublev is that he’s properly rested for Cincinnati.
Up first for the seventh seed is Ruusuvuori, who trails the head-to-head sequence 2-0. The Finn misplaced 6-4, 6-4 two years in the past in Dubai and 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-3 earlier this season on the Australian Open. Ruusuvuori superior on Monday with a 6-4, 6-2 rout of qualifier Corentin Moutet, however he’s nonetheless a modest 22-21 on the ATP stage in 2023. Rublev will likely be wanting to get extra matches below his belt upfront of the U.S. Open and can probably roll into the final 16.
Choose: Rublev in 2
Alex de Minaur vs. J.J. Wolf
De Minaur will likely be making a fast turnaround after ending runner-up to Jannik Sinner on the Toronto Masters on Sunday. The Twelfth-ranked Australian’s street to the ultimate included wins over Cameron Norrie, Gabriel Diallo, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina whereas shedding only one set to Fritz alongside the best way.
Though De Minaur has had little relaxation, that might not be a giant downside–a minimum of not for now. He is among the fittest gamers on tour, his matches in Toronto weren’t notably taxing, and he’s a type of guys who fights for each level whatever the circumstances. De Minaur is not only going to point out up in Cincinnati for the paycheck. Furthermore, he dominated his solely earlier encounter with Wolf 6-4, 6-2 final fall on the indoor arduous courts of Stockholm. A 6-0, 6-2 blowout loss to Davidovich Fokina within the Toronto first spherical additionally doesn’t bode properly for the American’s confidence.
Choose: De Minaur in 2