Rain and wind peppered the courts of Delray Beach on Day 3, causing delays and problems for all players. Though it seems as if we are safe from rain on Day 4, the 20-30 mile per hour wind gusts will continue to be something players have to deal with.
Day 4 at the Delray Beach Open features the final four matches of Round 2. Five Americans will be in action, including an all American matinee featuring Jack Sock and Reilly Opelka. But who will advance?
ATP Delray Beach Day 4 Predictions
John Millman vs Marcos Giron
Head-to-head: 1-0 Giron
Australian John Millman and American Marcos Giron kick off day four action at Delray Beach. Millman took nearly three hours to pick up an impressive victory over Maxime Cressy in Round 1. Giron topped compatriot Tennys Sandgren in a two-set, 1 hour and 19 minute Round 1 affair. Coming off of a semifinal run in Dallas, former UCLA Bruin Marcos Giron is playing some very good tennis. John Millman is just 2-4 in 2022. These two have very similar styles of play that will show a variety of baseline shots that move their opponent around. The younger Giron is more in-form and is looking poised for a breakout 2022 season. I see him topping Millman in a tight two sets.
Prediction: Giron 7-6 6-4
Adrian Mannarino vs Brandon Nakashima
Head-to-head: First meeting
#7 seed Adrian Mannarino comes into this tournament very much in-form. The veteran Frenchman is 8-3 in his last 11 matches with those losses coming against Rafael Nadal, Reilly Opelka, and Alexander Zverev. His opponent, Brandon Nakashima, has been playing some fine tennis to begin his season as well. Nakashima trounced countryman Denis Kudla 6-1, 6-1 in Round 1. Both guys should not let the windy conditions get to them as they are mentally strong and composed. Nakashima, who has a strong two-handed backhand, will not back down from any crosscourt rallies from the lefty. These two in-form players should give the crowd a show on Thursday night. I’ll take Nakashima in a tight three sets.
Prediction: Nakashima 7-6 3-6 6-4
Mitchell Krueger vs Grigor Dimitrov
Head-to-head: First meeting
Grigor Dimitrov comes to Delray Beach as the #3 seed in this tournament. He has yet to play a match this week after a Round 1 bye. His opponent, Mitchell Krueger, advanced through two rounds of qualifying before taking down Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-4 in Round 1. Dimitrov is clearly the superior player, but he has not played a competitive match since Australia. Krueger has played six matches over that time. With that being said, Krueger has just four career tour-level wins. Dimitrov has 352. He should cruise in the final match of day four.
Prediction: Dimitrov 7-5 6-2
Jack Sock vs Reilly Opelka
Head-to-head: 1-1
Americans Jack Sock and Reilly Opelka will meet for the third time come Thursday. They had a 2018 meeting in Round 2 of the Delray Beach Open where the younger Opelka emerged victorious in a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 battle. Earlier this week, Sock came back from a set down in Round 1 to defeat Daniel Altmaier. Opelka was awarded a bye as the #2 seed. Opelka is coming off of his third tour-level title as he did not drop a set last week in Dallas. Sock, who was bounced by Taylor Fritz in Round 2 of last week’s Dallas Open, struggled with the hard-serving American. I think Sock will once again struggle against a top-notch server. Even if he does force a tiebreak in any set, Opelka has an uncanny ability to handle them.
Prediction: Opelka 7-6 6-2
Main Photo from Getty.
