An exciting third day at the Montreal Rogers Cup looms ahead as all the top seeds are finally in action. Current world No. 7, Kei Nishikori will be playing the French veteran Richard Gasquet. Meanwhile, the Italian superstar, Fabio Fognini, will be facing the young American, Tommy Paul.
The featured match for Day 3 will be the battle of the Canadians, as the teenage sensation Felix Auger-Aliassime will be taking on his fellow countryman, Milos Raonic for a place in the third round of the Montreal Rogers Cup. (We also have more Day 3 ATP Montreal Rogers Cup previews and predictions.)
ATP Montreal Rogers Cup Day 3 Predictions
Tommy Paul vs Fabio Fognini
Head-to-head: First meeting
Paul has been playing well this week and could potentially give Fognini some trouble if the American can keep up the same level of intensity. However, the 22-year-old has never beaten a Top 10 opponent (0-3) in his career. It will be a tough ask for him as Fognini is having arguably the best season of his long career.
This should be a routine win for the current world No.9, provided he remains focussed on the match, as the Italian has in the past mentally not shown up to matches.
Prediction: Fognini in 2
Diego Schwartzman vs Roberto Bautista Agut
Head-to-head: Schwartzman leads 1-0
Schwartzman will be full of confidence with his game right now, especially winning Los Cabos–the first hard court title of his career. But Bautista Agut will be looking to spoil the Argentine’s party, as he himself has had a respectable season.
The slight favorite to come through will be Bautista Agut. Overall, Schwartzman will find it difficult to combat Bautista-Agut’s relentless aggressiveness on the forehand side, which will make the Argentine be on the backfoot for the majority of the match.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 2
Richard Gasquet vs Kei Nishikori
Head-to-head: Gasquet leads 7-3
Even though the Frenchman dominates their head-to-head, a lot of their matches were played between 2008-2015. This was the period here Gasquet was at his best and Nishikori was still an up and coming player.
If we break down the head-to-head to only the last four years, Nishikori leads their head-to-head 2-1, with the Japanese winning most recently in Tokyo last year.
Nishikori should be the favourite getting through this one, as the French veteran has recently come back from an injury, and it will be a big ask of him to beat a Top 10 opponent right now.
Prediction: Nishikori in 2
Ilya Ivashka vs Gael Monfils
Head-to-head: First meeting
The French veteran, Gael Monfils, has struggled in the past three months on the clay and the grass. But finally being back on his preferred surface- expect Monfils to make some decent results here.
Ivashka, being a qualifier will have a lot of confidence coming into the match and he will believe he can cause an upset here. The 25-year-old Ukrainian could push the match to a deciding set if he plays well, but it should be Monfils that eventually pulls through and advances.
Prediction: Monfils in 3
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Milos Raonic
Head-to-head: Raonic leads 1-0
Auger-Aliassime looked in trouble against his good friend, Vasek Pospisil, in the previous round before closing it out in a third-set tiebreak. If Raonic does not give any free points (unforced errors, double faults) to Auger-Aliassime, then the teenager will find it difficult to get past Raonic.
This match should be close and could go to a deciding set. A few points here and there could make the difference between winning and losing for both players. With the way Raonic is serving right now, the favourite has got to be him. The 18-year-old, Auger-Aliassime, will find it difficult to return and break Raonic’s service games.
Prediction: Raonic in 3
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