The defining feature of Day 1 at the ATP Citi Open in Washington was byes, as sixteen players are skipping to Round 2 on a bye. That doesn’t leave much room for anything interesting to happen right away, as Day 1 featured a number of low-ranked players. But Borna Gojo sprung an upset from outside the top 150, and he’ll look to do so again against Botic van de Zandschulp. Can Nick Kyrgios repeat his performance from 2019, or will a new champion be crowned? We predict every match on the schedule, split between three articles. The other two articles feature Nick Kyrgios vs Marcos Giron and Kyle Edmund vs Daniel Evans.
ATP Washington Day 2 Predictions
Jenson Brooksby vs Yoshihito Nishioka
Head-to-head: Nishioka 1-0
The H2H is a strange inconsistency in a matchup that otherwise favors Brooksby. The American is having a good year, especially on his preferred hard court, and is just coming off a finals appearance in Atlanta. He also has a 20% higher win percentage on hard court than Nishioka, although the Japanese has more experience, and has won a title on the surface. Nishioka is not having a good year, though, having won only a third of his matches. Brooksby should also feel comfortable here in Washington, where he will have home court advantage, and where he was a semifinalist last year.
Prediction: Brooksby in 2
Botic van de Zandschulp vs Borna Gojo
Head-to-head: Gojo 1-0
Van de Zandschulp is having a good season and has been playing fairly well recently. He gets an opponent in Borna Gojo who is ranked almost 175 places lower, and is making only his fourth ATP appearance this year, although Gojo won their H2H on clay a couple years ago. I don’t think the H2H means anything, as the Dutchman is a much better player now, having steadily risen since that time to top 30 status. Gojo had a good comeback in Round 1 against James Duckworth, after losing the first set and having his back to the wall as the Aussie served for the match in the second, but he faces a taller task in Round 2. Maybe lightning can strike twice, but on paper the matchup certainly favors van de Zandschulp here, and he should move on easily.
Prediction: van de Zandschulp in 3
David Goffin vs Jack Sock
Head-to-head: Goffin 3-0
Goffin hasn’t been on court since Wimbledon, but he is in the midst of a resurgent season after struggling to recover from injury. Reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon was a sign of where he is at, as well as taking the title in Marrakech on clay in April. Goffin’s patience and carefulness should get him past Jack Sock, although the American is actually having a good season by his recent standards. Goffin is historically a little better on hard courts than Sock, although neither is playing particularly well on the surface this year. The H2Hs all came 5-10 years ago, and may not be predictive of the current permutations of each player. But both are trying to climb back nearer the lofty heights they once inhabited, and I think it is Goffin’s match to lose.
Prediction: Goffin in 3
Main Photo from Getty.
