A couple of blockbuster first-round matchups are part of a loaded Friday schedule in Beijing. Daniil Medvedev is kicking off his campaign against Tommy Paul, while Holger Rune faces Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Tommy Paul vs. (2) Daniil Medvedev
It’s not often that two players in the top 13 of the rankings go head-to-head in the first round of any tournament, but that will be the case at what is perhaps the strongest ATP 500 on the calendar–the China Open. Medvedev (No. 3) and Paul (No. 13) will be squaring off for the second time in their careers when they battle in Beijing on Friday. Their only previous encounter came at the 2021 French Open, where Medvedev prevailed 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.
Both men are in outstanding form this season. Medvedev finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic at the U.S. Open and has already clinched his spot in the Nitto ATP Finals. Paul is 12th in the race to Turin thanks in part to a semifinal showing at the Australian Open, a semifinal run at the Toronto Masters, and runner-up performances in Acapulco and Eastbourne. However, the American was upset by compatriot Ben Shelton in the U.S. Open fourth round, went 0-2 in Davis Cup as the USA was eliminated by Finland, and suffered Team World’s only loss at the Laver Cup. Paul may be hitting the wall near the end of a long season and Medvedev should be able to capitalize.
Pick: Medvedev in 2
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(3) Holger Rune vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
This is one of those matchups in which somebody has to win. It’s hard to predict who will get the job done, as Rune has been less than 100 percent physically since the start of the summer and Auger-Aliassime has struggled with his game for many months.
Because of a back problem, Rune has not won a match since the Wimbledon fourth round (four-match losing streak) and has not played since falling to Roberto Carballes Baena in round one of the U.S. Open.
Although Auger-Aliassime has been in disastrous form dating back to late March, he advanced one round in Toronto and went 2-0 at the Laver Cup (1-0 singles, 1-0 doubles). Those good vibes at home in Vancouver may be able to propel at the Canadian to a decent closing stretch of the 2023 campaign. Whatever the case, he is the slightly more reliable player right now given Rune’s recent injury woes.
Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 3
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