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Whereas half of the highest males’s gamers are participating in the Dubai Tennis Championships this week, the opposite half are heading to Acapulco for the Abierto Mexicano Telcel Open. The ATP 500 occasion in Mexico includes a 32-player singles draw.
The match was performed on clay until 2013, after which it moved to hardcourts. At present in its twenty eighth version, the Acapulco occasion affords 500 rating factors to the winner and a prize cash pool of $1,053,560.
Whoever wins this 12 months will be part of an elite membership of former champions, which incorporates Thomas Muster, David Ferrer, Carlos Moya, Dominic Thiem and Rafael Nadal.
Nadal, who received his third Acapulco title in 2020, has chosen to skip the occasion this 12 months as he continues to get better from his again damage. On that notice, here is a better have a look at how the draw is prone to unfold.
High half: Stefanos Tsitsipas and Diego Schwartzman get prime billing
Seeded gamers: [1] Stefanos Tsitsipas, [3] Diego Schwartzman, [5] Grigor Dimitrov, [7] Felix Auger-Aliassime
Anticipated semifinal: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Diego Schwartzman
Darkish horse: Sebastian Korda
Evaluation: World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas shall be hoping to bounce again from his early exit in Marseille, the place he misplaced to Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
In Acapulco, Tsitsipas opens aginst the struggling Benoit Paire. The Greek may then face the big-serving John Isner or Italy’s Salvatore Caruso within the second spherical.
Tsitsipas has No. 7 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime as his projected quarterfinal opponent. The Canadian on his half begins in opposition to Tennys Sandgren, after which he may meet the winner of the match between Sebastian Korda and former US Open champ Marin Cilic.
Korda, who was ranked exterior the highest 200 earlier than the 2020 French Open, has now climbed as much as No. 92. The American reached the Delray Seaside Open closing in January, and has additionally claimed a Challenger title this 12 months. Korda is likely one of the most enjoyable younger prospects within the males’s recreation, and the massive names would do nicely to keep watch over him in Acapulco.
After opening in opposition to a qualifier, No. 3 seed Diego Schwartzman will tackle both Frances Tiafoe or former World No. 5 Kevin Anderson. Schwartzman is coming in on the again of a title run in Buenos Aires final week.
Grigor Dimitrov is the opposite seed on this part. The Bulgarian opens in opposition to Adrian Mannarino, earlier than a attainable second-round conflict in opposition to Feliciano Lopez or Miomir Kecmanovic.
Semifinal prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Diego Schwartzman
Backside half: Alexander Zverev and Milos Raonic look to get again to successful methods
Seeded gamers: [2] Alexander Zverev, [4] Milos Raonic, [6] Fabio Fognini, [8] Casper Ruud
Anticipated semifinal: Alexander Zverev vs Milos Raonic
Darkish horse: Tommy Paul
Evaluation: Alexander Zverev faces a troublesome first-round match, in opposition to 17-year-old wildcard Carlos Alcaraz.
Zverev was a finalist at Acapulco in 2019, and has a 8-3 lifetime document right here. The German drastically prefers the situations within the Mexican metropolis to Rotterdam, the place he suffered an early exit final week.
If he will get previous Alcaraz, Zverev may meet both Laslo Djere or Steve Johnson within the second spherical. No. 8 seed Casper Ruud, in the meantime, is the German’s projected quarterfinal foe.
Ruud begins in opposition to Daniel Elahi Galan, and will then meet a qualifier within the second spherical.
4th seed Milos Raonic has a troublesome first-rounder in opposition to the harmful American Tommy Paul. Raonic additionally has sixth seed Fabio Fognini in his quarter-final part.
Fognini meets compatriot Stefano Travaglia within the first spherical, and will face both Cameron Norrie or a qualifier within the second.
Tommy Paul, sitting at a career-high No. 51 on this planet, reached the quarters in Rotterdam just lately. The American may pose some issues for the highest gamers this week.
Word – With a cut-off of No. 77, the qualifying attract Acapulco can be full of some attention-grabbing names. Amongst those that have superior to the second spherical on the time of writing are Lorenzo Musetti, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nicolas Mahut.
Semifinal prediction: Alexander Zverev vs Tommy Paul
Prediction for closing
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alexander Zverev
Predicted champion
Stefanos Tsitsipas
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