Cincinnati R2 previews and predictions: Hurkacz vs. Murray, Sinner vs. Isner

Andy Murray will be back on the court when he faces Wimbledon semifinalist Hubert Hurkacz on Wednesday in Cincinnati. Jannik Sinner and John Isner are also aiming for a place in the last 16.

(9) Hubert Hurkacz vs. (WC) Andy Murray

There have been plenty of comparisons between Murray and Hurkacz in terms of their mannerisms and playing style (definitely not between their on-court demeanor, however!). Unfortunately for Murray, Hurkacz is younger and doing everything better at the moment. The 24-year-old Pole has used a title at the Miami Masters, a semifinal showing at Wimbledon, and a quarterfinal performance last week in Toronto to reach a career-high ranking of No. 13 in the world.

Hurkacz and Murray 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. There is some good news for Murray in that he has enjoyed plenty of success at this event in the past and he already has a match under his belt after beating Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-4 on Monday. Against much higher-ranked opponents, however, the 34-year-old Scot has struggled mightily in his comeback. With Hurkacz on the other side of the net, this could be slightly too tall of a task.

Pick: Hurkacz in 3

(11) Jannik Sinner vs. John Isner

Sinner and Isner will also be squaring off for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. As usual, Isner is heating up in a major way during the North American hard-court summer. The 26th-ranked American reached the Los Cabos semifinals, captured a sixth Atlanta title, and made a run to the Toronto semis. Isner got right back in gear to overcome an in-form Cameron Norrie 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 on Tuesday.

Having struggled on grass, Sinner also went into the hard-court summer with little momentum. The 15th-ranked Italian hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Isner over the past few weeks, but he did well to win the biggest title of his young career in Washington, D.C. After losing to James Duckworth right away in Toronto, Sinner bounced back to beat Federico Delbonis 6-2, 7-5 on Monday. Of course, Isner is a whole different beast–especially in these conditions. They are perfect for him in Cincinnati, so the former runner-up (2013) should be able to maintain his hot streak.

Pick: Isner in 3