The remaining second-round ATP matches at the Miami Open will be concluded on Saturday as the first week comes to a close. Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas will look to return to winning ways when he squares off against fellow one-hander Richard Gasquet. Who will advance into the third round?
ATP Miami Day 4 Predictions
Alex Molcan vs Yoshihito Nishioka
Head-to-head: first meeting
After a dismal start to the season, we thought Alex Molcan had pretty much signed off the first quarter. But two high-quality wins in Indian Wells have rekindled his campaign. And Molcan earned another odds-defying win in Miami beating Jordan Thompson in three sets. The tests don’t get any easier from this stage with 28th seed Yoshihito Nishioka waiting in the wings. The Japanese lefty is adept at countering Molcan’s high topspin by making greater use of the angles. But after last week’s no-show in Indian Wells against Cristian Garin, it’s hard to trust Nishioka’s game.
Prediction: Molcan in 3
Borna Coric vs Christopher Eubanks
Head-to-head: first meeting
Christopher Eubanks served his way into the second round with a routine 7-6 6-2 win over Denis Kudla. He won 81% of first-serve points and did not face a single break point. That win came less than 24 hours after lending his services to the Tennis Channel commentary team. With such devastating serving numbers, Eubanks will be hoping he can keep Coric at bay. But not for long as the Croatian is a sharp-witted returner. The qualifier will likely see many balls back, and he will miss quite a lot.
Prediction: Coric in 2
Francisco Cerundolo vs Aleksandar Kovacevic
Head-to-head: first meeting
Kovacevic got his first ATP main draw win of the season by beating Jaume Munar in three sets. And the American will be keen to ensure it is not his last. Judging by his clinical ball striking in that third set, he has to fancy his chances against an out-of-form Francisco Cerundolo. The Argentine put together a sensational run to the semifinal in Miami 12 months ago. But he hasn’t quite hit his stride in 2023. The lucky loser might have a big surprise on his sleeve.
Prediction: Kovacevic in 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Richard Gasquet
Head-to-head: Tsitsipas 1-1 Gasquet
In Indian Wells, Stefanos Tsitsipas was still feeling the niggles of the shoulder injury that forced him out of Acapulco. He is hopeful he can play pain-free in Miami. Consistency has been Gasquet’s biggest drawback. The French veteran last won back-to-back matches in that title-winning week in Auckland at the start of the year. And despite scoring a scorching win over Christopher O’Connell, he doesn’t possess the power to ground down Tsitsipas. Expect the second seed to return to winning ways.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
