An intriguing battle between up-and-comers Ugo Humbert and Miomir Kecmanovic headlines the Atlanta schedule on Thursday. A quarterfinal spot will also be at stake during an all-Australian affair featuring Matthew Ebden and Bernard Tomic.
(8) Ugo Humbert vs. Miomir Kecmanovic
Humbert and Kecmanovic will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers and for the second time this summer when they battle for a quarterfinal spot at the BB&T Atlanta Open on Thursday. The two NextGen stars, who are both currently in position for the NextGen ATP Finals in Milan, just faced each other during the grass-court leadup to Wimbledon. Also in a second-round contest, Kecmanovic prevailed 6-4, 7-5 on the eventual way to his first ATP final (lost to Lorenzo Sonego in the final). The 19-year-old Serb made his Atlanta debut on Tuesday night by spoiling Jack Sock’s comeback from six months off to the tune of a 7-6(9), 7-6(5) victory.
Humbert rebounded from his setback against Kecmanovic with the biggest result of his career, a fourth-round performance at the All-England Club (beat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last 32, lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic). The 21-year-old Frenchman continued his grass-court campaign by reaching the semifinals in Newport last week (lost to another eventual champion, John Isner). Humbert, who took care of local wild card Cole Gromley 7-6(2), 6-2 in his Atlanta opener, may have a slight edge in what should be a high-quality contest.
Pick: Humbert in 3
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Matthew Ebden vs. Bernard Tomic
Tomic has been in the news this summer, once again for the wrong reasons. The 26-year-old Australian was fined all of his Wimbledon first-round prize money for “failing to meet a professional standard” during a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tomic got down 3-0 in the first set of his Atlanta opener against Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday while looking similarly uninterested, but he somehow turned things around mentally and battled to a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) victory.
Up next for the world No. 106 on Thursday is a fourth career meeting with Ebden–first at the ATP level. Tomic has won all three of their previous encounters, but the two Aussies have not squared off since 2014. Ebden, who coasted past qualifier Kamil Majchrzak 7-6(5), 6-3 on Tuesday, generally fares well in Atlanta and reached the semis last year. Unlike Tiafoe, the world No. 100 is a solid veteran who won’t let Tomic get away with any mental walkabouts, of which there are sure to be a least a few.
Pick: Ebden in 2
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