The top players on tour are currently in action at the Chengdu Open. The first few matches have already lived up to expectations so far.
Nikoloz Basilashvili and Taro Daniel are through to the main draw. While Basilashvili defeated Bernard Tomic in three sets, Daniel eliminated Billi Harris in the final round.
Meanwhile, Marcos Giron also started his campaign with a win in Chengdu. After losing the last seven matches on tour, he defeated Ethan Quinn in the first round, 7-5, 6-4.
Without further ado, let’s look at the line-up and predictions for Day Two at the Chengdu Open:
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1) Terence Atmane vs Dino Prizmic
First up, Terence Atmane will take on Dino Prizmic in the first round.
Atmane stunned onlookers with a semifinal run in Cincinnati this year. He also secured title-winning runs in Busan and Guangzhou (Challengers). The 23-year-old is one of the dark horses to win in Chengdu.
Prizmic, meanwhile, has yet to find his feet at the highest level. After a quarterfinal finish in Umag, he reached the first round in New York. Despite a valiant effort against Andrey Rublev, the Russian eliminated him at the US Open this year.
Prizmic has a solid all-around game with great technical ability on the court. He will be up against a slightly better competitor and is likely to come up short.
Predicted Winner: Terence Atmane
2) Gael Monfils vs Alexander Shevchenko
Next up, Gael Monfils will take on Alexander Shevchenko in the first round.
Monfils is still going strong at the age of 39. After a title-winning run in Auckland, he reached the last 16 in Miami and the second round in London. The Frenchman will enter the Chengdu Open after an early exit in New York.
Shevchenko, meanwhile, has had a modest season so far. After a quarterfinal run in Kitzbuhel, he secured a runner-up finish in Sumter (Challenger). He also participated in the US Open, but lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round.
While Monfils has shown signs of fatigue in the last few weeks, Shevchenko has registered some decent results. The Frenchman has had ample time to rest after an early exit in New York and should be able to solve this riddle in the first round.
Predicted Winner: Gael Monfils
3) Filip Misolic vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Next up, Filip Misolic will lock horns with Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round.
Misolic has had a busy season so far. Apart from quarterfinal runs in Bucharest and Bastad, he reached the third round in Paris and the last 16 in Kitzbuhel. The Austrian will enter Chengdu after a first-round exit in Winston-Salem.
Meanwhile, Mpetshi Perricard has had a hot and cold season so far. After a third-round exit in Indian Wells, he reached the semifinals in Winston-Salem and the first round in New York. The Frenchman was eliminated by Lorenzo Musetti in the first round of the US Open.
Mpetshi Perricard has done well this year, but needs to strategise better to win tournaments on tour. The Frenchman will be up against a tricky contender but should be able to win this bout.
Predicted Winner: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
4) Lorenzo Sonego vs Juan Manuel Cerundolo
Lastly, Lorenzo Sonego will take on Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the first round.
Sonego has been stuck at the same level for the last few years. After third-round exits in Wimbledon and Cincinnati, he reached the first round in New York. Despite a valiant effort against Tristan Schoolkate, the Australian defeated him at the US Open.
Ceundolo, meanwhile, has had an optimistic season on tour. After a second-round exit in Paris, he secured a runner-up finish in Gstaad and clinched the title in Guangzhou Huangpu (Challenger). The Argentine will be eager to maintain his rich vein of form.
Sonego has been inconsistent throughout the season. Considering their recent results and sharpness on tour, Cerundolo should be able to cause an upset in the first round.
Predicted winner: Juan Manuel Cerundolo
