Acapulco, Dubai, and Santiago previews and predictions

The furious February swing on the ATP Tour is finally coming to an end, but it is going out with a bang. A pair of 500-point tournaments are on this week’s schedule, drawing both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal back to the court. Djokovic headlines the Dubai field along with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Gael Monfils, and Andrey Rublev. Nadal is joined in Acapulco by Alexander Zverev, Stan Wawrinka, and Nick Kyrgios. Meanwhile, the Golden Swing wraps up with the inaugural Chile Open.

Abierto Mexicano Telcel

Where: Acapulco, Mexico
Surface: Hard
Points: 500
Prize money: $1,780,060

Top seed: Rafael Nadal
Defending champion: Nick Kyrgios

Draw analysis: Kyrgios was unseeded last year in Acapulco and went up against Nadal in the second round. There will be no rematch of the Aussie’s contentious 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(6) victory unless both players reach the final in 2020. The top-needed Nadal and the sixth-seeded Kyrgios are on opposite sides of a draw that looks favorable for the world No. 2. He will open with Pablo Andujar before possibly meeting either Alex de Minaur or Miomir Kecmanovic. Dusan Lajovic, who has been playing on clay, is Nadal’s nearest seed. Also in the top half are Wawrinka, Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, and Delray Beach champ Reilly Opelka.

Kyrgios and Zverev face tougher paths through the bracket. Up first for Kyrgios is Auckland champion Ugo Humbert, while Taylor Fritz is a potential second-round foe and an in-form Felix Auger-Aliassime could await in the quarters. Zverev kicks off his campaign against Jordan Thompson and the German also finds himself in a quarter with the always-dangerous John Isner.

First-round upset alert: Ugo Humbert over (6) Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios’ rust and possible wrist problem open the door for Humbert. And even if the Australian does turn out to be 100 percent, this is still a clear upset opportunity. Humbert has been in impressive form through the first two months of 2020, with his first career title in Auckland followed by quarterfinal performances in New York and Delray Beach.

Hot: Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Soonwoo Kwon, Kyle Edmund

Cold: John Isner, Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe, Radu Albot, Adrian Mannarino, Mischa Zverev, Mackenzie McDonald

Quarterfinal predictions: Rafael Nadal over Reilly Opelka, Stan Wawrinka over Grigor Dimitrov, Kyle Edmund over John Millman, and Alexander Zverev over John Isner

Semifinals: Nadal over Wawrinka and Zverev over Edmund

Final: Nadal over Zverev

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Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Where: Dubai, U.A.E.
Surface: Hard
Points: 500
Prize money: $2,794,840

Top seed: Novak Djokovic
2019 champion: Roger Federer (not playing)

Draw analysis: Roger Federer’s withdrawal means Tsitsipas has moved up the No. 2 seed, allowing the Greek to avoid Djokovic in the draw. But things won’t be easy for the Marseille champion. First, he is making a quick turnaround after lifting another trophy this past week. Additionally, his road through the bracket is not easy. Tsitsipas begins against Pablo Carreno Busta before potentially running into either Hubert Hurkacz or Alexander Bublik in the last 16 followed by Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals. Also in the bottom half of the draw are Rubev (champion in Doha and Adelaide), Fabio Fognini, and Dan Evans.

Djokovic will likely coast into the semis, although Karen Khachanov could at least make the world No. 1 work in the quarters. Djokovic’s biggest threat prior to the title match is Monfils, who recently captured back-to-back titles in Montpellier and Rotterdam. The Frenchman should capitalize on extremely favorable draw prior to facing Djokovic.

First-round upset alert: Marin Cilic over (8) Benoit Paire. Cilic is dominating the head-to-head series 5-1 and has won five in a row against Paire after prevailing in a fifth-set tiebreaker at the Australian Open. Things have only gotten worse for the Frenchman, who compiled a 1-3 record in Pune, Rotterdam, and Marseille. Cilic’s solid 6-3 mark this season includes a fourth-round performance in Melbourne.

Hot: Novak Djokovic, Gael Monfils, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Dan Evans, Lloyd Harris, Filip Krajinovic

Cold: Karen Khachanov, Benoit Paire, Malek Jaziri, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Nikoloz Basilashvili, Yen-Hsun Lu, Richard Gasquet, Marin Cilic, Joao Sousa

Quarterfinal predictions: Novak Djokovic over Karen Khachanov, Gael Monfils over Marin Cilic, Andrey Rublev over Dan Evans, and Roberto Bautista Agut over Hubert Hurkacz

Semifinals: Djokovic over Monfils and Rublev over Bautista Agut

Final: Djokovic over Rublev

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Chile Open

Where: Santiago, Chile
Surface: Clay
Points: 250
Prize money: $604,010

Top seed: Cristian Garin
2019 champion: Inaugural event

Draw analysis: If the favorites take care of business in Santiago, it could end up producing a more intriguing quarterfinal, semifinal, and final lineup that Rio de Janeiro. Of course, that isn’t saying a lot! Cristian Garin, the Cordoba and Rio winner, will be the home favorite at this inaugural event in Chile. He also triumphed in Cordoba earlier this month, so it is hard to pick against him. Although Garin may be fatigued, he should benefit from a first-round bye and will not have to play his first match until Thursday. Juan Ignacio Londero and Pablo Cuevas are potential challengers prior to championship Sunday.

Another recent champion, Casper Ruud, is the No. 2 seed. Ruud, who triumphed in Buenos Aires, will be well-rested after falling early in Rio. The Norwegian will likely collide with Federico Delbonis in the last eight before a possible date with either Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Thiago Monteiro, or Rio finalist Ginaluger Mager in the semis.

First-round upset alert: Marco Cecchinato over (6) Hugo Dellien. Cecchinato is a horrendous 1-6 through his first seven matches in 2020. But there is some good news for the 2018 French Open semifinalist. Dellien has been even worse! That’s right; Dellien has not won a single match this season. The Bolivian is 0-4—even though three tournaments have come on his preferred clay. Cecchinato is at least playing well enough to take advantage.

Hot: Cristian Garin, Casper Ruud, Federico Coria, Pedro Sousa, Gianluca Mager, Alejandro Tabilo

Cold: Pablo Cuevas, Hugo Dellien, Marco Cecchinato, Leonardo Mayer, Roberto Carballes Baena

Semifinal predictions: Juan Ignacio Londero over Pablo Cuevas and Casper Ruud over Thiago Monteiro

Final: Ruud over Londero

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