It has been an entertaining start to the week at the ATP Cincinnati Masters, the first ATP-level tournament since the season resumed. Just 16 players remain and all of them will be in action on day four in New York. As ever, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for all eight matches, including Daniil Medvedev’s clash with qualifier Aljaz Bedene. But who will advance to the last eight?
ATP Cincinnati Masters Day Four Predictions
Jan-Lennard Struff vs David Goffin
Head-to-head: Goffin 4-1 Struff
Jan-Lennard Struff has made an excellent start to his Cincinnati Masters campaign. The German opened his campaign with a comprehensive 6-2 6-4 win over world #26 Alex de Minaur and he backed that up by beating 12th seed Denis Shapovalov for the fourth time in five meetings. It was, however, a closely fought encounter, with Struff eventually emerging a 7-6 3-6 6-4 winner and that may well have left him fatigued, both mentally and physically.
That does not bode well for his chances against David Goffin, who reached the Cincinnati final last season. The Belgian looked to be in good touch in his 6-4 7-6 win over Borna Coric in the second round and has enjoyed his rivalry with Struff, winning four of their five previous meetings. Struff is a dangerous player with formidable power and good hands in the forecourt, but he has struggled to string good performances together throughout his career and Goffin should be able to wear him down.
Prediction: Goffin in 3
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Novak Djokovic vs Tennys Sandgren
Head-to-head: Djokovic 2-0 Sandgren
World #1 Novak Djokovic made his return to action against Ricardas Berankis in the last 32 after a first-round bye. The Serbian, who won the Cincinnati Masters in 2018 and has three times lifted the title at the US Open, was not entirely convincing, dropping serve in the first set and twice going a break down in the second set. His neck also appeared to be giving him trouble, with the trainer twice giving him treatment. Nonetheless, he was able to dig out a 7-6 6-4 win.
But he will need to improve against two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren. The American has made a fine start to his campaign, beating Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 6-3 in the first round before upsetting the 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7 6-2 7-6, despite the Canadian serving for the match in the third set. But he has lost both of his previous meetings with Djokovic, although he did take a set off the Serb at the US Open in 2018. He may manage to do so again, but any more than that seems unlikely even after Djokovic’s uncertain start.
Prediction: Djokovic in 3
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Andy Murray vs Milos Raonic
Head-to-head: Murray 9-3 Raonic
Andy Murray picked up a great win over Alexander Zverev in the round of 32 to back up his first-round victory over Frances Tiafoe. For a man who has played very little tennis over the past three seasons, this has been a very encouraging week. But the same might be said of his third-round opponent Milos Raonic. The Canadian is sometimes reduced to his big serve, but it should not be forgotten that he has been ranked as high as world #3 and is a former-Wimbledon finalist.
Since 2017, he has seemed to be struggling almost constantly with a succession of injuries, but the lengthy break in the season may well have given him the chance to finally recover his fitness. He has certainly looked sharp so far at the Cincinnati Masters, picking up straight-sets wins over Sam Querrey and Dan Evans, who upset 10th seed Andrey Rublev in the first round. He has, however, struggled throughout his career against Murray.
Indeed, the Scot has inflicted some of the most painful defeats of Raonic’s career, including the 2016 Wimbledon final and semifinals at the Australian Open and the ATP Finals. However, he has beaten Murray three times and he looks to be in good position to do so once again in New York this week. His serve has been working well and he has been doing damage with his forehand. Murray, meanwhile, will surely be fatigued after long battles with Tiafoe and Zverev.
Prediction: Raonic in 3
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John Isner vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head-to-head: Isner 2-1 Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who enjoyed a first-round bye, made short work of a visibly weary Kevin Anderson in his opener, beating the former-world #5 for the loss of only four games. But he will almost certainly be made to work harder in the third round when he takes on John Isner. The American scored an excellent win in the first round, beating Hubert Hurkacz 7-5 6-4 and he backed that up by battling past a spirited John Millman, ultimately ousting the Australian in a third-set tiebreak.
That might leave him short of energy when he takes on Tsitsipas, but Isner has a well-earned reputation as a marathon man. He has also beaten Tsitsipas in two of their three previous meetings, although it was the Greek who emerged victorious when they last faced off, beating Isner 7-6 6-3 in the last eight in Beijing. In that match, he was able to take the sting out of Isner’s serve with some fine returning off both wings. A repeat of that performance should see him safely into the quarterfinals.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3
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