A pair of all-unseeded quarterfinal clashes are part of the Friday schedule in Chengdu. Sam Querrey is going up against fellow American Taylor Fritz, while qualifier Bernard Tomic faces lucky loser Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Sam Querrey vs. Taylor Fritz
It will be an all-American affair when Querrey and Fritz collide for the third time in their careers during quarterfinal action at the Chengdu Open on Friday. They have split their two previous encounters (both on hard courts), with Querrey getting the job done 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the 2016 Acapulco event before Fritz prevailed 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) earlier this season in Delray Beach. Fritz has continued a bounce-back 2018 campaign on the heels of a disappointing 2017, compiling an 18-13 ATP-level record that has him back up to No. 62 in the world. So far in Chengdu he has taken out wild card Chun Hsin Tseng in three sets and Mikhail Kukushkin in straights.
Even though the United States ended up losing to Croatia in the Davis Cup semifinals, Querrey’s stunning comeback against Marin Cilic appears to have been just what the doctor ordered. With some much-needed momentum finally in hand, the world No. 58 has rolled in easy straight sets this week over Guido Pella and Nikoloz Basilashvili. This is match that will be in Querrey’s hands, as his serve and forehand are both superior to those of Fritz, and his current form suggests he will be able to take care of business.
Pick: Querrey in 3
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(Q) Bernard Tomic vs. (LL) Felix Auger-Aliassime
It is safe to say that Auger-Aliassime is capitalizing on his second life in Chengdu, where he fell in the final round of qualifying to Ruben Bemelmans. The 18-year-old Canadian got a lucky-loser spot in the main draw and promptly parlayed that into three-set victories over Chinese wild card Yibing Wu and No. 2 seed Hyeon Chung. Auger-Aliassime now owns six ATP-level match wins in 2018–and six in his career.
Up next for the world No. 147 on Friday is a first-ever contest against Tomic, who has also played four matches already in Chengdu. The 123rd-ranked Australian successfully qualified for the main draw before beating Bradley Klahn 6-7(6), 7-6(3), 6-2 and Lloyd Harris 7-6(5), 2-6, 7-6(6). This is some much-needed success for Tomic, who lost in the first round of U.S. Open qualifying, the first round of a Challenger event in France earlier this month, and the first round last week in Metz. A confident, motivated Tomic can still be an effective player on tour and Auger-Aliassime will have to cut down on the six double-faults he threw in against Chung.
Pick: Tomic in 3
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Querrey in 2
FAA in 2
Querrey in three Tomic in three. Tomic looks actually motivated again #shocking #HowLongWillThatLast