Beijing R1 previews and predictions: Dimitrov vs. Harrison, Verdasco vs. Monfils

Friends and familiar foes Grigor Dimitrov and Ryan Harrison will face each other during first-round action on Tuesday in Beijing. Fernando Verdasco and Gael Monfils are also beginning their weeks at this 500-point tournament.

Ryan Harrison vs. (3) Grigor Dimitrov

Dimitrov and Harrison will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers when they meet again in round one of the China Open on Monday. The head-to-head series stands at 4-1 in favor of Dimitrov, who has taken two of their three previous hard-court encounters. Each of their last two hard-court contests has gone with distance, with Harrison prevailing 7-5, 4-6, 6-0 at the 2015 Acapulco event before Dimitrov got the job done 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) last season in Shanghai.

The eighth-ranked Bulgarian needs to make a major move over the next month if he wants to have a shot at defending his 2017 Nitto ATP Finals title. He is way down at No. 17 in the race to London, saddled with a mediocre 22-16 record that includes losses his opening match at four of his last eight tournaments (twice to Stan Wawrinka, at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open). Harrison has also been wildly inconsistent, with a flurry of first-round exits to go along with a runner-up performance in Atlanta and a quarterfinal run in Winston-Salem. Dimitrov has reached the quarters, the semis, and the final in his last three trips to Beijing, so he should have the edge in this one.

Pick: Dimitrov in 2

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Fernando Verdasco vs. Gael Monfils

It has been another abbreviated season for Monfils due to additional physical problems, but he at least finds himself back in the top 40 (No. 39) thanks to decent results on all three surfaces (third round of the French Open, fourth round of Wimbledon, and a recent Challenger title on the hard courts of Kaohsiung). The 32-year-old Frenchman could not make a quick turnaround last week in Chengdu, where he was upset right off the bat by Lloyd Harris via a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 decision.

Up next for Monfils on Tuesday is a fifth career meeting with Verdasco, who trails the head-to-head series 3-1. After losing three times between 2008 and 2013, the Spaniard picked up a 6-3, 7-5 win early last year in Dubai. Verdasco is now wrapping up a decent 2018 campaign, with a 27-24 record that has him at 28th in the rankings and in line to be seeded for next season’s Australian Open. He is coming off a semifinal showing in Shenzhen, where he defeated Jason Jung, Taro Daniel, and Andy Murray before succumbing to eventual champion Yoshihito Nishioka 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(5). Verdasco will have two full days off prior to this showdown, so he should be able to take advantage of Monfils’ relative struggles.

Pick: Verdasco in 3

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