The ATP Tour heads to one of its oldest and most prestigious events as players descend upon Toronto, Canada, for the National Bank Open. This 56-man draw is one of the most exclusive in the sport, as it hosts 20 of the top 22 ranked players in the world. Day 1 action is packed with intriguing matchups, including a fan-favorite battle between Gael Monfils and Christopher Eubanks. We at LWOT have the preview and prediction for that match and all other happenings in Toronto–split between two other articles. One features Milos Raonic vs Frances Tiafoe and the other features Matteo Berrettini vs Gregoire Barrere. But who will advance?
ATP Toronto Day 1 Predictions
Lorenzo Musetti vs Yoshihito Nishioka
Head-to-Head: Musetti 2-1 Nishioka
No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti makes his Canadian Masters debut against Yoshihito Nishioka. This will be the fourth meeting between the two, but the first on a hard court. Musetti has played some of the best tennis of his young career in 2023. The 21-year-old Italian holds a 27-19 record and has reached eight ATP quarterfinals. On the other hand, Nishioka has yet to win a match since Roland Garros. Musetti should control this match from the beginning.
Prediction: Musetti in 2
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs J.J. Wolf
Head-to-Head: first meeting
World No. 37 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina squares off against No. 43 J.J. Wolf in the first round of the Canadian Masters. It will be the first meeting between these 24-year-old counterparts. The American is the better hard-court player and has seen more success over the last month. Wolf reached the semifinals two weeks ago in Atlanta and the quarters last week in Washington DC. Both players will look to be the aggressor, which should set us up for some blistering baseline rallies. In the end, I see the improved serve of Wolf being the difference.
Prediction: Wolf in 3
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Zhizhen Zhang vs Thanasi Kokkinakis
Head-to-Head: Zhang 0-1 Kokkinakis
Zhizhen Zhang squares off against qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round in Toronto. The Aussie won their only previous encounter, a three-set clay-court battle in 2021. Zhang is a much different player two years later and is amidst the best stretch of tennis of his career. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 52 in July and has a baseline consistency that translates across all surfaces. The serve of Kokkinakis will be his best friend in this match, but I see Zhang being able to neutralize that weapon and force the Aussie into longer points.
Prediction: Zhang in 3
Gael Monfils vs Christopher Eubanks
Head-to-Head: first meeting
Gael Monfils and Christopher Eubanks will square off for the first time in a battle of two of the sports’ best showmen. Monfils has played just 11 matches this year (winning three of them), but is coming off a solid run of tennis in Washington DC. He must carry that momentum to Toronto to hang with Eubanks. The 27-year-old American is 3-2 since his magical run to the Wimbledon quarters and is coming off a head-scratching 2-6 2-6 loss to Jordan Thompson. That said, he should bring his A-game to this match against the legendary Monfils. The Frenchman is one of the better returners of his generation, and I see that skill allowing him to put pressure on the Eubanks serve.
Prediction: Monfils in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
