A number of the biggest stars in the men’s game have arrived in Beijing to contest the 2019 China Open and a thrilling week of tennis should be in store. As ever, we here at LWOT are offering our predictions for as many matches as possible. But on day two, who will book their place in the second round?
China Open Day Two Predictions
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Head-to-head: Auger-Aliassime 1-0 Ramos Vinolas
After what has been an impressive year, Felix Auger-Aliassime will surely be targeting a strong end to his campaign to set up what could be a career-making 2020. If nothing else, a top 16 seeding at the Australian Open is very much an attainable goal for the Canadian. But he will need to be at his best to get past Albert Ramos Vinolas in the first round at the China Open. The Spaniard is in fine form after reaching the Zhuhai semifinals. That said, he did not face any opponents of Auger-Aliassime’s quality last week. The young gun has a significant advantage from the line and should back himself off the ground. Ramos Vinolas may well have the quality to make a match of this, but there should only be one winner.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 3
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Mikhail Kukushkin vs Fabio Fognini
Head-to-head: Kukushkin 2-2 Fognini
Italy’s Fabio Fognini has enjoyed some superb moments this season, not least beating Rafael Nadal en route to the Monte Carlo Masters title. But he has lost his way lately, losing in the first round at both the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open. And he will be in for a tough test up against Kazakhstan’s Kukushkin, who has won both of their hard-court clashes. Kukushkin’s flat, penetrating groundstrokes can see him make a costly number of unforced errors, but in the reasonably fast conditions at the China Open, they should give him the edge against the out-of-form Fognini.
Prediction: Kukushkin in 3
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Diego Schwartzman vs Fernando Verdasco
Head-to-head: Schwartzman 3-0 Verdasco
Diego Schwartzman has put together another very impressive season. Though the Argentine may not be a regular threat to win the biggest titles on tour, he has established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the men’s game, who rarely goes down with a fight. Fernando Verdasco, for all his considerable talent, can hardly be placed in the category, but the Spaniard does deserve credit for his staying power at the top of the game. Schwartzman, however, is clearly not an opponent he enjoys facing. He has lost all three of their previous clashes in straight-sets and there seems to be little reason to expect a different outcome this time around.
Prediction: Schwartzman in 2
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Roberto Bautista Agut vs Sam Querrey
Head-to-head: Bautista Agut 3-0 Querrey
2019 has been by some distance the finest season of Roberto Bautista Agut’s career. He has twice beaten world #1 Novak Djokovic and reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon. However, his form has tailed off of late, a slide he will surely be determined to arrest with qualification for the ATP Finals in London still a possibility. But he should feel confident about his chances up against Sam Querrey. A run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals aside, it has been an indifferent season from Querrey and he has failed to beat Bautista Agut in all three of their meetings. Expect the consistent Spaniard to grind Querrey down.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 3
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