Seoul, Sofia, and Tel Aviv predictions

The Laver Cup has come and gone, and now the ATP fall swing continues in Seoul, Sofia, and Tel Aviv. They are a trio of 250 tournaments before the schedule eventually heats back up with some 500s, a Masters 1000 in Paris, and finally the Nitto ATP Finals and Davis Cup Finals.

Here are my picks for this week’s events:

Korea Open

Where: Seoul, South Korea
Surface: Hard
Points: 250
Prize Money: $1,117,930
Top seed: Casper Ruud
Defending champion: Inaugural event

This is a time of year when a lot of players don’t really care too much, but Taylor Fritz will be motivated because he is in contention for a first-ever appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals. Denis Shapovalov showed signs of life at the U.S. Open, so he could be getting back on track.

Quarterfinal predictions: Casper Ruud over Yoshihito Nishioka, Taylor Fritz over Chun Hsin Tseng, Denis Shapovalov over Radu Albot, and Cameron Norrie over Soonwoo Kwon

Semifinals: Fritz over Ruud and Shapovalov over Norrie

Final: Fritz over Shapovalov

Sofia Open

Where: Sofia, Bulgaria
Surface: Indoor hard
Points: 250
Prize Money: 534,555 Euros
Top seed: Jannik Sinner
Defending champion: Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner is the two-time defending champion in Sofia and he has to be considered the favorite to triumph once again. However, he could be challenged in a solid field that also features Pablo Carreno Busta, Ilya Ivashka, Metz champion Lorenzo Sonego, and Bulgaria’s own Grigor Dimitrov.

Quarterfinal predictions: Jannik Sinner over Fabio Fognini, Ilya Ivashka over Lorenzo Sonego, Ugo Humbert over Lorenzo Musetti, and Pablo Carreno Busta over Oscar Otte

Semifinals: Sinner over Ivashka and Carreno Busta over Humbert

Final: Carreno Busta over Sinner

Tel Aviv Open

Where: Tel Aviv, Israel
Surface: Indoor hard
Points: 250
Prize Money: $949,475
Top seed: Novak Djokovic
Defending champion: Inaugural event

Novak Djokovic is a bit of a question mark after he looked less than 100 percent because of an apparent wrist issue during Sunday’s Laver Cup loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime. Still, the Serb should be able to beat anyone in this field if he is anywhere close to 100 percent.

Quarterfinal predictions: Novak Djokovic over Tallon Griekspoor, Arthur Rinderknech over Roman Safiullin, Sebastian Korda over Constant Lestienne, and Marin Cilic over Botic van de Zandschulp

Semifinals: Djokovic over Rinderknech and Cilic over Korda

Final: Djokovic over Cilic