A blockbuster second-round matchup in Cincinnati on Wednesday pits Karen Khachanov against Nick Kyrgios. Fresh off another win over Grigor Dimitrov, Stan Wawrinka will continue his campaign against Andrey Rublev.
Nick Kyrgios vs. (8) Karen Khachanov
Khachanov and Kyrgios will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round two of the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday. With Novak Djokovic looming as a potential quarterfinal opponent for one of these two, Kyrgios could be especially motivated in Cincinnati. The 27th-ranked Australian was certainly inspired two weeks ago in Washington, D.C., where he captured his sixth ATP title. Following a loss right away in Montreal to Kyle Edmund, Kyrgios took down Lorenzo Sonego 7-5, 6-4 on Monday night.
As the No. 8 seed this week, Khachanov was the last to earn a first-round bye. The ninth-ranked Russian will be playing his first match since reaching the semifinals in Montreal, where he defeated Stan Wawrinka, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Alexander Zverev before falling to Daniil Medvedev. As talented as Khachanov is, this is a contest Kyrgios should win if he remains focused–or close to focused–from start to finish.
Pick: Kyrgios in 3
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Stan Wawrinka vs. (Q) Andrey Rublev
Wawrinka vs. Dimitrov is a tough first-round draw for both players, but it is especially tough for Dimitrov. With Tuesday’s 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory, Wawrinka improved to 5-0 in that head-to-head series dating back to Wimbledon last summer–including four in opening rounds (also last week in Montreal). The 34-year-old Swiss is a decent 23-15 this season with a quarterfinal performance at the French Open.
Up next for Wawrinka on Wednesday is a second career meeting with Rublev. Their only previous encounter came three years ago in Chennai, where Wawrinka cruised 6-3, 6-2. Rublev is much different player now at 21 years old and he is back in the top 70 after missing a lot of time over the past year due to injuries. The Russian finished runner-up to Nikoloz Basilashvili on the red clay of Hamburg earlier this summer and avenged that loss by prevailing 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday. This will be a difficult one for Wawrinka, but the veteran played well enough against Dimitrov–other than his failed attempts to serve out the match–and should improve with one round under his belt.
Pick: Rublev in 3
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