Top seed Jannik Sinner will continue his Antwerp campaign when he goes up against Arthur Rinderknech in the quarterfinals on Friday. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Jenson Brooksby are also aiming for a place in the last four.
(1) Jannik Sinner vs. Arthur Rinderknech
Sinner is in serious Nitto ATP Finals contention, just two spots out of qualifying position with four weeks remaining. However, he has a lot of work to do–especially now that Cameron Norrie has passed him for No. 9 in the race (not including Rafael Nadal) following a title in Indian Wells. Sinner can pass Norrie and move to within 110 points of Hubert Hurkacz by lifting the European Open trophy this week. The 20-year-old Italian is off to a strong start, having defeated compatriot Lorenzo Musetti 7-5, 6-2 in the second round.
Up next for Sinner on Friday is Rinderknech, who won their only previous encounter 6-7(7), 6-2, 7-5 on the red clay of Lyon this spring. Although Rinderknech is an all-court player, he has enjoyed most of his professional success so far on clay and Sinner may be a tougher proposition on an indoor hard court. Still, the 65th-ranked Frenchman has fared well in Antwerp with defeats of Federico Delbonis and Dusan Lajovic. A steep step up in a competition against a motivated Sinner will likely signal the end of Rinderknech’s week.
Pick: Sinner in 2
(Q) Jenson Brooksby vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Davidovich Fokina and Brooksby have never faced each other heading into the Antwerp quarterfinals, and Davidovich Fokina probably wishes it would stay that way. Nobody wants to face Brooksby right now. The 20-year-old has been on fire since the start of the summer, even reaching the U.S. Open fourth round and taking a sett off Novak Djokovic. As Brooksby handled Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-4 on Monday, Opelka wondered aloud how Djokovic even took a set off Brooksby! The world No. 70 followed up that result with a 6-2, 6-0 rout of a previously in-form Botic Van de Zandschulp.
Enjoying a favorable draw so far, Davidovich Fokina defeated Jordan Thompson 6-3, 6-3 and then scraped past clay-court specialist Cristian Garin 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The 44th-ranked Spaniard had been 2-7 in his last nine matches dating back to the Tokyo Olympics prior to arriving in Antwerp. This is another good opportunity for Brooksby against a higher-ranked opponent who would rather contest this matchup on clay.
Pick: Brooksby in 2
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