The Washington Open draw has been thinned to just 16 men ahead of day four. Some seeds, including world #8 Karen Khachanov, made an early exit, but there is no shortage of big names left in the draw. The question now is: who will book their place in the quarterfinals?
Washington Open Day Four Predictions
Kyle Edmund vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Head-to-head: Tsonga 1-0 Edmund
In a battle of the big forehands, British #1 Kyle Edmund will take on former world #5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. After a banner 2018, Edmund has struggled so far in 2019, largely as a result of a knee injury. He did, however, look sharp in dispatching Lloyd Harris of South Africa in the second round, losing just five games. Tsonga too has had his fair share of injury problems this year, but has scored two fine wins in D.C., overpowering Brayden Schnur 6-4 7-6 in the first round before edging second seed Khachanov 6-4 2-6 7-5.
Both men will look to their forehands, which are amongst the most powerful in the men’s game, to get them on the front foot early and allow them to dictate. Of the two, Edmund has the better backhand, but Tsonga is a far better server. He should also be full of confidence after his victory over Khachanov, which was one of his best in recent years. And when Tsonga gets on a roll, he can be very hard to stop. Expect another big win for the Frenchman.
Prediction: Tsonga in 3
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Daniil Medvedev vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: first meeting
Daniil Medvedev, who was rewarded for what has been an excellent season by breaking into the top 10 for the first time last week, will surely have high hopes of putting together a strong summer in North America. His groundstrokes are unerringly accurate and he covers the court very well, particularly for a man of his size. He can, at times, become too passive, but that was not a problem for him in dispatching Bjorn Fratangelo in straight sets in the second round.
Home hope Frances Tiafoe also impressed in his opener at the Washington Open, stopping the in-form Alexander Bublik 6-1 7-6. Like Medvedev, the American is an excellent athlete and he also possesses a powerful forehand. But he is not as consistent from the baseline as the third seed, with his backhand a vulnerability against the very best in the game. And Medvedev, who possesses an excellent two-hander, is rapidly establishing himself as just that.
Prediction: Medvedev in 2
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Miomir Kecmanovic vs Norbert Gombos
Head-to-head: first meeting
Norbert Gombos, who received his place in the Washington Open main draw as a lucky loser, has taken full advantage of his good fortune. The Slovakian upset Adrian Mannarino of France in straight sets to reach the third round. But he will be in for a stern test against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, who has beaten Alexei Popyrin and Pierre-Hugues Herbert to book his place in the last 16. Kecmanovic, who reached the fourth round in Indian Wells, has proven himself an adept hard-courter and will surely feel confident heading into this clash. Expect his consistency from the baseline to wear Gombos down.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 3
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Marin Cilic vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
Marin Cilic has endured a torrid 18 months since reaching the Australian Open final at the start of the 2018 season. But the world #17 managed to see off the challenge of Marius Copil, who beat him last year in Basel, playing his best when it mattered most to emerge a deserved 7-6 7-6 winner. Now, the Canadian young gun Felix Auger-Aliassime, who battled past the big serving Reilly Opelka in the second round, looks set to provide him with a stern test.
It has been a breakthrough season for Auger-Aliassime, who is on the cusp of breaking into the top 20 for the first time. His backhand is rock solid and his serve and forehand are real weapons. So too are the Croatian Cilic’s, but they have been wont to misfire of late. Indeed, whilst Auger-Aliassime has real momentum coming into this clash, Cilic, despite his battling victory over Copil, still looks to be struggling. As a result, it’s hard to see him beating Auger-Aliassime.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 2
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