In one of the more interesting draws of the ATP season, second-round action continues at the ATP Winston-Salem Open in a 64-player draw. All seeds get a bye into the second round, so many Top 50 players will make their debuts on Tuesday as preparation reaches the final stages ahead of the US Open. LWOT predicts all 14 matches scheduled for Tuesday, with this set of predictions featuring former Top 20 player Francisco Cerundolo.
ATP Day 3 Winston-Salem Predictions
Arthur Rinderknech vs Christopher O’Connell
Head-to-head: Rinderknech 3-2
It’s been a solid few months for Rinderknech, with the Frenchman lately making a good run to the third round at the Masters 1000 in Montreal. Along the way, he notably defeated O’Connell via retirement during their qualifying match. O’Connell is 11-15 in tour-level matches this year and has the extra match under his belt as he won his opener 7-5 6-4 against Strong Kirchheimer. There may be some extra fire for O’Connell after being unable to complete his Montreal match; expect the big-serving Rinderknech to win, but it could be a tough test.
Prediction: Rinderknech in 3
Juncheng Sheng vs Mariano Navone
Head-to-head: First meeting
This should be an intriguing encounter, despite the rankings suggesting Navone as the favorite. Navone epitomizes a clay-court specialist, playing well on the dirt but struggling mightily on faster courts. He’s 0-3 on hard courts, while the youngster Sheng is rising on the ATP Tour and 5-2 on hard courts this summer. The 19-year-old cruised to a 6-2 6-1 victory against Francisco Comesana in the first round, and look for him to use his confidence to take out a seed.
Prediction: Sheng in 2
Francisco Cerundolo vs Zachary Svadja
Head-to-head: Cerundolo 1-0
Svadja has a solid baseline game that is steadily growing year after year. He lost surprisingly in qualifying to a player outside the Top 400 but benefited from a lucky loser spot and won his opening match against Laslo Djere. This will be a stern test for Svadja, and he’ll have to play offensive tennis against Cerundolo, the heavy favorite. Cerundolo will otherwise use his big forehand to dictate much of the match.
Prediction: Cerundolo in 2
Main Photo Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
