Auckland and Adelaide previews and predictions

The 2024 tennis season is off to a roaring start. Rafael Nadal returned in Brisbane with a pair of wins, Andrey Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov were among the finalists in Hong Kong and Brisbane, and the United Cup provided plenty of drama. 
 
With the Australian Open on the horizon, January is about to get even more fun. Before the festivities kick off in Melbourne, however, another week with two ATP 250s is on the schedule. The draws in Auckland and Adelaide include Ben Shelton, Cameron Norrie, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Gael Monfils, Denis Shapovalov, Tommy Paul, and Sebastian Korda. 
 
Here are my previews and picks for the two Week 2 tournaments.  

ASB Classic

Where: Auckland, New Zealand  
Surface: Hard  
Points: 250  
Prize money: $546,355  

Top seed: Ben Shelton 
Defending champion: Richard Gasquet 

Draw analysis: Monfils and Shapovalov haven’t been around all that often in recent months, but they appear to be healthy and ready to go for the Australian summer. Both players find themselves in a top quarter of the Auckland draw along with Shelton, the No. 1 seed. Shelton vs. Monfils is a potential second-round showdown, while Shapovalov begins his comeback to tennis against Sebastian Ofner before possibly meeting Roberto Bautista Agut. The top half of the bracket also includes seeds Francisco Cerundolo and Max Purcell. 

On the other side, a marquee all-French matchup pits Arthur Fils against Richard Gasquet in a battle between generations. Fils was the Newcomer of the Year on the ATP Tour in 2023, while Gasquet—18 years his compatriot’s senior—is the Auckland defending champion. Chris Eubanks vs. Botic van de Zandschulp is another first-rounder to watch. It’s a tough road all around for Fils, who could run into Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals and Norrie in the semis. 

Quarterfinal predictions: Roberto Bautista Agut over Ben Shelton, Max Purcell over Benjamin Bonzi, Arthur Fils over Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Cameron Norrie over Botic van de Zandschulp 
 
Semifinals: Bautista Agut over Purcell and Norrie over Fils 

Final: Norrie over Bautista Agut 

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Adelaide International

Where: Auckland, New Zealand  
Surface: Hard  
Points: 250  
Prize money: $661,585 

Top seed: Tommy Paul 
2023 champion: Soonwoo Kwon (not playing) 

Draw analysis: Although nobody from Australia is seeded in Adelaide, the host nation has plenty of legitimate contenders on its hands. Jordan Thompson (who upset Nadal in the Brisbane quarterfinals), Alexei Popyrin, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Christopher O’Connell, and Brisbane quarterfinalist Rinky Hijikata are all in the field. Popyrin and Kokkinakis are on a collision course for the last 16, although Popyrin has a difficult opener on his hands against seventh-seeded Jiri Lehecka. Thompson is in line to face Lorenzo Musetti in round two and perhaps Hijikata in the quarters. 

Also of note is a first-round battle between Matteo Arnaldi and Marton Fucsovics. They squared off in the Brisbane opening round, as well, and it did not disappoint; Arnaldi prevailed 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(7) after three hours and seven minutes. Whoever wins the rematch will set up a meeting with No. 2 seed Nicolas Jarry. Speaking of rematches, Korda lost to Yannick Hanfmann in the Brisbane first round and the American’s opening match in Adelaide could come against none other than Hanfmann. 

Quarterfinal predictions: Tommy Paul over Miomir Kecmanovic, Jordan Thompson over Alexander Bublik, Alexander Shevchenko over Sebastian Korda, and Matteo Arnaldi over Thanasi Kokkinakis 
 
Semifinals: Paul over Thompson and Arnaldi over Shevchenko 

Final: Paul over Arnaldi 

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