The Main Draw of the ATP Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco kicks off on Monday. Day 1 has six main draw matches, and we’re here to predict all of them for you. We look at three matches in this article, and three in a second article.
ATP Acapulco Day 1 Predictions
Salvatore Caruso vs John Isner
Isner should be able to finally look healthy and play comfortably on a court that suits his style. I don’t know what form the American is in, but with Isner that doesn’t matter so much anyway. As long as his serve is clicking, he can find the baseline play once or twice per set (or per tiebreak) to get through a match. I don’t think Caruso has the return game to trouble Isner, and the American should find enough chances to make his way through this match.
Prediction: Isner in 2
Marin Cilic vs Sebastian Korda
What type of form is Cilic in? That’s an unfortunately common question nowadays, but it doesn’t have to be. Cilic won the 2014 US Open on the back of incredible baseline hitting, and he’s able to do that all the time. He just doesn’t, and it’s impossible to really know why. As soon as he solves that problem he’ll be winning tournaments–and maybe even Majors–again. Until he does, though, he can spray groundstrokes and even lose to a player like Korda. Don’t be surprised if the American wins this match, as he’s in some of the best form of his life to boot.
Prediction: Korda in 3
Tennys Sandgren vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
The Canadian future superstar hasn’t quite risen as quickly as some other youngsters (including his compatriot Denis Shapovalov), he’s still progressing well and showing himself growing on tour. Sandgren, meanwhile, seems to only reserve his best play for Australian Open runs. The American hasn’t played since a first-round loss in Melbourne, so I don’t see him having the form here to challenge Auger-Aliassime.
Prediction: Auger-Aliassime in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
