Day 3 of the 2021 ATP Canadian Open in Toronto will feature many Round 2 matches and will decide the last 16 lineup of a tournament now devoid of five-time champion Rafael Nadal, who withdrew in advance of his round 2 match against Lloyd Harris.
We predict all of the day’s matches, split between three articles. One of the other articles features Hubert Hurkacz vs Kei Nishikori, and the other features Andrey Rublev vs Fabio Fognini.
ATP Toronto Day 3 Predictons
James Duckworth vs Jannik Sinner
Head-to-head: Sinner 1-0 Duckworth
On paper, this should be straightforward for Sinner, but the Italian has just made a titanic effort to win the biggest title of his career to date in DC and might be a bit physically and emotionally spent. There’s definitely some for an upset here, but if Sinner has recovered well physically he should be able to prevail without many issues.
Prediction: Sinner in 2
Lloyd Harris vs Feliciano Lopez
Head-to-head: Lopez 1-0 Harris
Lopez’s longevity at ATP level is nothing short of remarkable, but there are signs that he might not last much longer. His record for the year is 9-16 and he’s only playing here as a lucky loser thanks to Nadal’s withdrawal. Harris, on the other hand, seems to have finally returned to form, with a very good performance in Washington, where he beat Nadal, and he should be able to progress here without many issues.
Prediction: Harris in 2
Diego Schwartzman vs Benoit Paire
Head-to-head: Schwartzman 3-1 Paire
Two players who could hardly be more different. Paire is mercurial but wild and unfocused, while Schwartzman overcomes his physical limitation by playing every point as if it was the last point of his career. The Argentine’s approach has generally been far more successful and he’s the favorite here, but on a rare good day Paire can cause the upset.
Prediction: Schwartzman in 3
Gael Monfils vs John Millman
Head-to-head: first meeting
It’s somewhat stunning that this is the first meeting between two veterans of the circuit, but here we are. The pandemic had negative effects on the careers of many players, but none more so than Monfils; he was on a roll before the break and has since been struggling to win any matches at all. It’d be unimaginable to say this a year ago, but Millman starts as a solid favorite in this match. But perhaps Monfils will finally start to somewhat return to his previous level, at a tournament where he has a track record of very good results.
Predictions: Monfils in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
