The preparation for the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami will get underway in earnest at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, with both the ATP and the WTA in town this week. There are a number of intriguing matches on the slate on day one, with young guns and veterans alike in action. But who will book their place in the second round at this ATP 500 event?
Mexican Open Day One Predictions
Alex De Minaur vs Miomir Kecmanovic
Head-to-head: De Minaur 1-0 Kecmanovic
After an impressive showing at the ATP Cup to start the season, hopes were high for Alex de Minaur going into the rest of the Australian summer, only for the 21-year-old to pick up an abdominal injury that forced him out of the Australian Open. Now back on court, he will be hoping to restart his season with a deep run at the Mexican Open. But he faces a tough first-round test in the shape of Miomir Kecmanovic, who arrives in Acapulco in good form.
The Serbian has already reached two semifinals so far in 2020, at the Qatar Open and the New York Open, although he may well be disappointed to have lost in the second round in Delray Beach. Nonetheless, he has thrived throughout his admittedly fledgling career, on the sort of slow hard courts to be found in Acapulco. And with De Minaur having spent the better part of six weeks off court, there is bound to be a degree of rust and uncertainty in the Australian’s game. Expect Kecmanovic to take advantage.
Prediction: Kecmanovic in 3
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Cameron Norrie vs Adrian Mannarino
Head-to-head: Norrie 2-0 Mannarino
Adrian Mannarino is a fine player, but he has not yet got going in 2020, having won only one of his seven matches so far this season. And he will surely not relish the prospect of facing wildcard Cameron Norrie in the first round at the Mexican Open, with the Briton having won both of their previous meetings in straight-sets, including in fairly similar conditions two years ago in Los Cabos. Norrie has been slightly inconsistent this year, too often failing to take advantage of a good win. But this is clearly a matchup he enjoys and with Mannarino in no kind of form at all, Norrie should feel confident about his chances of reaching the second round and rightly so.
Prediction: Norrie in 2
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Stan Wawrinka vs Frances Tiafoe
Head-to-head: Wawrinka 1-0 Tiafoe
When this pair last met, Stan Wawrinka was given a searching examination by the American, but hung tough to claim a 6-3 3-6 7-5 win in front of the Swiss crowd in Basel. But the three-time Major champion may well feel he can win more comfortably at the Mexican Open. He has made a promising start to the season, reaching the semifinals in Doha and the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park, although he has not played since losing there to Alexander Zverev.
Frances Tiafoe, meanwhile, has threatened to deliver a big performance on more than one occasion this season, but has yet to really come good. Indeed, he has just two wins to his name in 2020, although both did come in his last outing in Delray Beach. Nonetheless, the conditions should suit the big-hitting Wawrinka, with the Swiss able to hurt players from all over the court. Provided he has recovered from the injury that kept him out of Montpellier and Rotterdam, expect him to over power Tiafoe.
Prediction: Wawrinka in 3
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Kyle Edmund vs Feliciano Lopez
Head-to-head: Edmund 1-0 Lopez
It seems safe to assume that Kyle Edmund’s withdrawal from the Delray Beach Open was precautionary after his run to the title at the New York Open. And such was the form that he displayed at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum that it is hard to imagine that he will not make his presence felt at the Mexican Open. His forehand has been firing and he has been serving well. His return still leaves much to be desired, however, which a server of Lopez’s quality should be able to take advantage. But although the Spaniard should have enough to keep it competitive, Edmund’s greater power should prove the difference here.
Prediction: Edmund in 3
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