Although the 2019 ATP season is now rapidly approaching its conclusion with just over six weeks of tennis left, there is still plenty to play for, not least valuable points in the race to London. As a result, there should be no shortage of intrigue at this week’s China Open in Beijing and we here at LWOT will be offering predictions all week. On day one, who will advance?
China Open Day One Predictions
Kyle Edmund vs Zhang Zhizhen
Head-to-head: first meeting
After a banner 2018 campaign which saw him reach the Australian Open semifinals and win the Stockholm Open, Kyle Edmund has struggled throughout 2019, albeit in part due to a succession of injuries. But the Briton will surely have high hopes of setting himself up for a productive 2020 by finishing the season strongly. And he will certainly be the favourite in this clash up against Chinese wild card Zhang Zhizhen, who has played just eight tour-level matches. The crowd will doubtless back him to the hilt, but Zhang has very little experience up against players of Edmund’s quality. Expect the world #32 to prove too strong for the man ranked nearly 200 places below him.
Prediction: Edmund in 2
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Marco Cecchinato vs Jeremy Chardy
Head-to-head: Chardy 1-0 Cecchinato
Marco Cecchinato hasn’t won a match at tour-level since losing to the veteran Nicolas Mahut from two sets to the good at Roland Garros in the first round. That torrid run of form, briefly interrupted by a run to the final of a Challenger in Szczecin, included a loss to Jeremy Chardy on the clay courts at the Kitzbuhel Open. And it is hard to see a different outcome this time around. Chardy should be feeling confident after coming through the qualifying and his game is better suited to the medium-pace courts at the China Open than the Italian’s. If Chardy can bring his forehand into play regularly, he should not encounter too many difficulties in dispatching Cecchinato.
Prediction: Chardy in 2
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Dan Evans vs Li Zhe
Head-to-head: first meeting
Less than two years after his return to tennis after a ban for cocaine use, Dan Evans finds himself ranked inside the top 50 and will be targeting a strong end to the season that could take him into the top 40 for the first time in his career. After besting Jie Cui and former-Wimbledon quarterfinalist Vasek Pospisil in qualifying, he will surely feel confident about his chances up against the veteran Chinese wild card Li Zhe, who has never broken the top 200. Li has won 14 futures titles, mostly in his native China, but has very little experience of the ATP tour, although he did play in the main draw at the Australian Open earlier this season. Nonetheless, it is hard to see him offering much resistance to the skilful Evans.
Prediction: Evans in 2
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