Cincinnati R1 previews and predictions: Murray vs. Pouille, Wawrinka vs. Schwartzman

Both Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka received wild cards into Cincinnati and they will get their weeks started right away on Monday. Murray is going up against Lucas Pouille, while Wawrinka is facing Diego Schwartzman.

(16) Lucas Pouille vs. (WC) Andy Murray

Murray has one more tournament to go before he plays what is scheduled to be his first Grand Slam in more than a year. This week’s Western & Southern Open represents the Scot’s fourth event of the season and his last tuneup for the U.S. Open, which begins later in August. Murray’s comeback from serious hip problems has seen him compile a 1-2 record on grass (losses to Nick Kyrgios and Kyle Edmund plus a withdrawal from Wimbledon) to go along with a quarterfinal run in Washington, D.C. (wins over Mackenzie McDonald, Edmund, and Marius Copil before withdrawing).

Up first for the former world No. 1 on Monday is a fifth career contests against Pouille, who is a hopeless 0-4 in the head-to-head series. Murray prevailed three times in 2016 (twice on hard courts, once on clay) and once in 2017 (a 7-5, 6-1 victory in the Dubai semis). Pouille has struggled for the most part this year, with a 20-15 record that includes eight opening-match losses. That same fate will likely befall the Frenchman in Cincinnati, as Murray has displayed some encouraging signs and should be well-rested.

Pick: Murray in 2

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(WC) Stan Wawrinka vs. (12) Diego Schwartzman

Surprisingly, Wawrinka and Schwartzman will be squaring off for the very first time in their careers on Monday. Like Murray, Wawrinka is slowly making his way back from physical problems in 2018. The veteran Swiss managed to play each of the first three majors this season, but he compiled a meager 2-3 record in those events and is just 8-12 overall this year. Following disastrous losses to Thomas Fabbiano at Wimbledon and Donald Young in Washington, D.C., Wawrinka picked up the pace to survive tense three-setters against Kyrgios and Marton Fucsovics in Toronto before succumbing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal 7-5, 7-6(4).

Since the beginning of the 33-year-old’s fall from the top, Schwartzman has gone in the other direction–soaring into ATP prominence. The Argentine registers at 12th in the world with a 27-18 record in 2018 that is highlighted by his second career title in Rio de Janeiro. Schwartzman has won multiple matches at each of his last two tournaments, most recently in Toronto at the expense of Edmund and Sam Querrey. With Wawrinka still rusty, Schwartzman’s consistency and defense will likely prove to be too tough.

Pick: Schwartzman in 3

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