Andrey Rublev and David Ferrer faced each other in the Australian Open first round and they will be doing the same on Monday in Acapulco. Blockbuster openers are part of the norm in this strong field and another one features fellow Americans John Isner and Ryan Harrison.
Andrey Rublev vs. David Ferrer
Rublev and Ferrer will be going head-to-head for the the second time in their careers and for the second time this season when they meet again in round one of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel on Monday. Their only previous encounter came last month at the Australian Open, where Rublev prevailed 7-5, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-2. Building on a breakout 2017 campaign, the 20-year-old Russian is 10-4 in 2018 with losses only to Gael Monfils (Doha final), Grigor Dimitrov (Aussie Open and Rotterdam), and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Montpellier).
It is clear that a lot is required to beat Rublev, and the jury is out on Ferrer’s ability to accomplish that feat. The 35-year-old Spaniard did well to be competitive with his 31st-ranked opponent Down Under, but just one or two points late in tiebreakers could have easily made it a relatively routine three-setter or four-setter for Rublev. Ferrer has played two February tournaments, losing in the first round on both occasions–to Karen Khachanov in Montpellier and to Alexander Zverev in Rotterdam. Current form obviously favors Rublev, who should have an easier time hitting Ferrer off the court in quicker Acapulco conditions than he did in Melbourne.
Pick: Rublev in 2
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(8) John Isner vs. Ryan Harrison
It will be an all-American affair when Isner and Harrison square off for the ninth time in their careers on Monday. The head-to-head series stands at 6-2 in favor of Isner, but it is 1-1 since the end of 2013 and Harrison’s loss came via a competitive 7-6(6), 7-6(7) scoreline in last summer’s Atlanta final. The world No. 58 is 2-1 lifetime against Isner on outdoor hard courts, with a 2013 Sydney win (6-4, 6-4) and a 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 6-4 victory at the 2016 Toronto Masters.
Harrison will certainly be content to play Isner anywhere except Atlanta–or any other U.S.-based summer tournament. The 32-year-old has never been at his best on foreign soil and has never fared well during the February swing, instead waiting to heat up each season during the June, July, and August months. Isner is a mere 2-4 this year with four losses to opponents ranked outside the top 60. Harrison, on the other hand, finished runner-up to Nick Kyrgios in Brisbane and he reached round three of the Australian Open (lost to eventual finalist Marin Cilic). The 25-year-old is confident enough right now and returns serve well enough to extend Isner’s slump.
Pick: Harrison in 3
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