Juan Martin Del Potro is a heavy title favorite in Beijing following Alexander Zverev’s second-round exit. Del Potro continues his campaign against Filip Krajinovic, while Malek Jaziri–who ousted Zverev–faces Nikoloz Basilashvili.
(1) Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Filip Krajinovic
Del Potro and Krajinovic will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers and for the second time this season when they meet again in the China Open quarterfinals on Friday. Their only previous meeting came at the Miami Masters, where Del Potro cruised 6-4, 6-2. That result came on the heels of the Argentine’s first-ever Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and he ended up making a run to the Miami semis, as well. Del Potro has remained healthy in fine form the entire year, with a 45-11 record that has guaranteed him a berth in the Nitto ATP Finals (he clinched his spot by beating Karen Khachanov 6-4, 7-6(4) on Wednesday.
Krajinovic registers at a solid 36th in the world, but an upcoming fall could be a steep one with points from the 2017 Paris Masters final coming off the board next month. The Serb, who missed all of the clay-court swing due to injury, is a modest 13-12 this season and had not won multiple matches at a single tournament since Miami before he arrived in Tokyo. Krajinovic may be heating back up with straight-set victories over Mischa Zverev and Feliciano Lopez, but it has been an extremely favorable draw for him and a whole different beast in Del Potro will almost surely signal the end of the road.
Pick: Del Potro in 2 losing 8 games or fewer
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Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Malek Jaziri
It will be a surprising and all-unseeded quarterfinal contest when Basilashvili and Jaziri square off for the first time in their careers on Friday. Jaziri was not even on Beijing’s initial entry list but got an alternate spot in the main draw and is certainly making the most of his opportunity. The 61st-ranked Tunisian followed up a 6-3, 6-3 win over Chinese wild card Yibing Wu with a 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4 upset of No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev on Thursday night.
Basilashvili’s appearance in the last eight is not unexpected, as the 34th-ranked Georgian is wrapping up what has been by far his most successful season on tour. The 26-year-old reached the Australian Open third round, captured a 500-point title on the clay courts of Hamburg, and made a run to the last 16 at the U.S. Open. Basilashvili is through to this week’s quarters thanks to defeats of Jack Sock and Fernando Verdasco. With Jaziri making a quick turnaround following his tough test against Zverev, an in-form Basilashvili should have a slight edge in this one.
Pick: Basilashvili in 3
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who ya got?
Delpo in two, Basher in three
JDP in straight….Bash in 3.