Second-round action at the ATP Hong Kong Open is headlined by a matchup between two former Top 10 players. Third seed Karen Khachanov will face former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the pick of the matches. Who will reach the quarterfinal?
ATP Hong Kong Day 3 Predictions
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Alexandre Muller
Head-to-head: first meeting
Kecmanovic is coming off an uneventful season and his title drought stretches to a fourth season. He was not expected to encounter an obstacle against Luciano Darderi who is more of a clay-court expert than a hard-court threat. Mueller, for his part, snapped a three-match losing streak by beating Marc-Andrea Huesler from a set down. Kecmanovic and Muller sit outside the Top 50 and only 14 spots apart. That tells you there is little to choose between them, but the Serbian is the more reliable baseliner.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 2
Cameron Norrie vs Lorenzo Sonego
Head-to-head: Norrie 1-1 Sonego
Norrie needed a cheer up after a dreadful 2024 where he posted a 22-19 record. That is his lowest return at the Tour level since 2020. Beating an in-form Learner Tien in the first round here will give him fresh energy and confidence. But next up is Lorenzo Sonego, who not many might have picked to reach the last 16 after he drew Brandon Nakashima. The Italian was impregnable on serve and a repeat performance should be sufficient to down Norrie.
Prediction: Sonego in 3
Arthur Fils vs Zizou Bergs
Head-to-head: Bergs 1-0 Fils
The scheduling of the 2024 NextGen Finals harmed Fils’ chances of winning that competition, leading to several fans questioning his motivation. The Frenchman surprisingly lost two group matches and was eliminated despite being the top seed and outright favorite. Zizou Begs played 81 matches last season and still showed his durability in beating Moro Canas in the first round very comfortably. With a less-than-ideal preparation for the new season, Fils could be vulnerable.
Prediction: Bergs in 3
Karen Khachanov vs Kei Nishikori
Head-to-head: Nishikori 4-2 Khachanov
Nishikori has the upper hand in this rivalry winning their last three matches in the series. But it’s been three years since Kahcahcnov and Nishikori played each other. The Japanese star has battled a messy injury record in the last two years. However, he was healthy in securing a mighty impressive win over Denis Shapovalov on Tuesday. Khachanov plays with a lot more control than the occasionally erratic Canadian. That will probably make Nishikori’s objective of getting back-to-back wins out of reach.
Prediction: Khachanov in 3
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
