Carlos Alcaraz has never left the Sunshine Swing without a title in each of the last three seasons. But after falling short in his Indian Wells title defense, he must win the ATP Miami Open to preserve that record. Will the second seed start his campaign with a win?
ATP Miami Day 3 Predictions
Tseng Chun Hsin vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Head-to-head: first meeting
Tsitsipas’ seven-match winning streak came to a halt in Indian Wells (he lost to Holger Rune). It wasn’t a significant setback considering that he’s not defending points in Miami. Tseng survived a tricky final qualifying match before breezing past Mattia Bellucci in the main draw. The new racket has revitalized Tsitsipas’ lethal attacking game, and with a lot to gain in this tournament, he’ll be determined to return to winning ways.
Prediction: Tsitsipas in 2
Casper Ruud vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head-to-head: Ruud 3-3 Kecmanovic
Although the head-to-head is tied at three wins apiece, Kecmanovic leads Ruud in their hard-court meetings (2-0). The Serbian kicked off February with a bang. He lifted his second career title in Delray. But the winning hangover lasted for nearly three weeks until he registered his second win in five matches in his opening match in Miami. Ruud was also productive last month, reaching the final in Dallas (lost to Denis Shapovalov). But he was afflicted with food poisoning in Acapulco, and that severely derailed his preparation for the Sunshine Swing. Kecmanovic has surprisingly looked sharper this season, and recent results tip the scales in his favor.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 3
Corentin Moutet vs Alejandro Tabilo
Head-to-head: Moutet 1-1 Tabilo
Tabilo lost six consecutive matches at the start of the season. It wasn’t until the start of March when he registered his first win against Dusan Lajovic. He stretched Taylor Fritz to three sets in the subsequent round. If Tabilo can use Indian Wells as a blueprint of what he must do in Miami, he should win this match. Moutet is a shrewd tactician on the court but the Chilean’s explosive power on this fast court gives him the edge.
Prediction: Tabilo in 2
Carlos Alcaraz vs David Goffin
Head-to-head: Alcaraz 2-1 Goffin
Alcaraz’s two-year stranglehold of the Indian Wells crown came to an end. Meanwhile, Goffin took almost two months to get a win on the board this season. Acapulco was a confidence booster for the Belgian who defeated Ben Shelton and followed it up with another stunner over Lorenzo Sonego in Indian Wells. At 34, Goffin is a veteran in the sport but he doesn’t possess the same elite movement as Alcaraz. Expect the Spaniard to come out on top in most rallies.
Prediction: Alcaraz in 2
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – Imagn Images
