The United Cup is already underway and now a few ATP occasions in Hong Kong and Brisbane are set to affix the 2025 season-opening festivities. Among the many individuals this week are Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev, and Lorenzo Musetti. Listed here are my previews and picks for the 2 tournaments.
Financial institution of China Open
The place: Hong Kong, Hong Kong Prize cash: $661,585 High seed: Andrey Rublev Defending champion: Andrey Rublev
Hong Kong boasts a formidable subject, albeit not as sturdy as Brisbane’s. Rublev, Musetti, Karen Khachanov, and Arthur Fils are the highest 4 seeds with first-round byes. Additionally don’t sleep on the unseeded contingent, which options Kei Nishikori, Denis Shapovalov, and Jerry Shang. Nishikori and Shapovalov will sq. off within the opening spherical.
Fils arguably has the perfect draw. The 20-year-old and Twentieth-ranked Frenchman is in a weak quarter and likewise a comparatively mushy backside half. The hardest part is within the high half, the place the Nishikori-Shapovalov winner will meet Khachanov in spherical two earlier than probably going through Brandon Nakashima within the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinal picks: Jerry Shang over Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov over Brandon Nakashima, Arthur Fils over Miomir Kecmanovic, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina over Lorenzo Musetti
Semifinals: Khachanov over Shang and Fils over Davidovich Fokina
Ultimate: Fils over Khachanov
Brisbane Worldwide
The place: Brisbane, Australia Prize cash: $766,290
High seed: Novak DjokovicDefending champion: Grigor Dimitrov
ATP 250 tournaments don’t get a lot larger and higher than this, particularly since Djokovic is enjoying. The 24-time Grand Slam champion pulled the rip twine on his 2024 season following the Shanghai Masters and skipped the Nitto ATP Finals, so it’s protected to say that he’s nicely rested for 2025. Djokovic will start his 12 months in opposition to Rinky Hijikata and will go up in opposition to Gael Monfils within the final 16. Kyrgios and Tiafoe are doable semifinal foes for Djokovic. Kyrgios and Tiafoe are a part of a loaded quarter that additionally consists of Sebastian Korda, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Jakub Mensik.
The underside half isn’t as sturdy, though Dimitrov and Rune are actually able to lifting the trophy. Matteo Berrettini in all probability must be thought-about essentially the most harmful floater participant in Brisbane. The Italian will get began in opposition to Jordan Thompson and will run into Dimitrov within the final eight.
Quarterfinal picks: Novak Djokovic over Alexei Popyrin, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard over Jakub Mensik, Holger Rune over Alejandro Tabilo, and Matteo Berrettini over Grigor Dimitrov Semifinals: Djokovic over Mpetshi Perricard and Rune over Berrettini
Ultimate: Djokovic over Rune
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and likewise maintains his personal tennis web site, The Grandstand. You possibly can observe him on Twitter at @Dimonator.
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