The third Slam of the season wrapped up over the weekend with Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova leaving the All England Club with their names etched in tennis history. The ATP Tour transitions over the Atlantic Ocean for the 2023 Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island. The legendary grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame welcome the fans into the second round, where 16 players remain in the singles draw. Day 3 features all eight second-round matches, including No. 1 seed Tommy Paul taking on the 2023 NCAA Men’s Singles Champion Ethan Quinn. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings around the grounds of Newport. But who will advance?
ATP Newport Day 3 Predictions
Adrian Mannarino vs Rinky Hijikata
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Adrian Mannarino arrives in Newport as the No. 2 overall seed. The 35-year-old Frenchman favors the grass as his best surface and holds an 8-4 record this season. He squares off against 22-year-old Aussie Rinky Hijikata in Round 2. Hijikata had the best ATP Tour result of his career when he reached the semifinals in Den Bosch last month. I expect this match to be tighter than their respective rankings suggest, but I still see the No. 2 seed finding his way to the finish line.
Prediction: Mannarino in 3
Mackenzie McDonald vs Li Tu
Head-to-Head: first meeting
No. 4 seed Mackenzie McDonald has been solid on the grass this season. He holds a 7-5 record with three wins over top 50 players. He squares off against 27-year-old Aussie Li Tu, who picked up his first ATP victory on Tuesday. Tu played a complete match to take down countryman Aleksandar Vukic. However, I do not believe he possesses the tools to hit through McDonald. The American will control this match from start to finish.
Prediction: McDonald in 2
Kevin Anderson vs Gijs Brouwer
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Kevin Anderson started his ATP comeback with a convincing 6-3 6-2 win over Gabriel Diallo. The former World No. 5 knocked 11 aces and looked comfortable in his first professional match in 16 months. His Round 2 opponent is 27-year-old Dutchman Gijs Brouwer. Brouwer has had a rough go of it this year but looked solid in his opening-round victory over Max Purcell. Anderson’s confidence will only grow the more time he spends on-court, and I do not seed Brouwer having any answer for his serve.
Prediction: Anderson in 2
Tommy Paul vs Ethan Quinn
Head-to-Head: first meeting
No. 1 seed Tommy Paul gets his Hall of Fame Open campaign started against young American Ethan Quinn. Quinn won the 2023 NCAA Men’s Singles Championship in early June and has been playing professional events this summer. He picked up the first ATP Tour victory of his career on Tuesday over Mukund Sasikumar. The 6-3, 6-1 win was impressive, and I believe Quinn has top-25 potential. That said, Paul’s serve and consistency from the baseline will be too much for his compatriot to handle.
Prediction: Paul in 2
Photo Credit: Geoff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
