Daniel Merida will be looking to build on his Montreal success when he faces Marin Cilic in round one of the Cincinnati Masters on Friday. Jerry Shang is playing on a protected ranking and will meet Lorenzo Sonego.
Daniel Merida vs. (WC) Marin Cilic
Merida and Cilic will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in the Cincinnati Open first round on Friday. This is, of course, a tale of two players at opposite ends of the career spectrum. Merida is 21 years old and had never played an ATP-level match prior to this season; Cilic is 37 years old and set for his 975th tour-level match. However, they do have one thing in common:
Cilic is certainly the underdog in this matchup at this point in his career, but he cannot be discounted. The Croat is 14-14 this season and remains well inside the top 100 at No. 85. Moreover, he is a former champion of this tournament (2016). Merida, though, is in outstanding form. The 63rd-ranked Spaniard won the first ATP title of his career last month in Umag and is coming off a quarterfinal run at the Montreal Masters. Merida’s last two matches north of the border were extremely quick and he had two full days off thereafter, so he should be ready to get right back in action in Cincinnati.
Pick: Merida in 3
(PR) Jerry Shang vs. Lorenzo Sonego
Early returns in Shang’s comeback from a foot injury are relatively encouraging. The 21-year-old from Japan had not played since February until he lost to Kei Nishikori in three sets at the Washington, D.C. ATP 500. Shang then advanced two rounds in Montreal, defeating Adolfo Daniel Vallejo and Andrey Rublev before losing a three-set battle against Luciano Darderi.
Up first for the left-hander on Friday is a second meeting with Sonego, who lost their only previous encounter 6-3, 6-4 earlier this season in Hong Kong. Sonego is a disappointing 8-12 on the main tour in 2026 and is struggling down at 88th in the rankings. With his confidence coming back, Shang has a great opportunity to pick up another victory in this matchup.
Pick: Shang in 3
WWW?
Merida (Yes, he does look like Cilic!) in 3; Shang in 2
Uncanny likeness and different cultural backgrounds! I wonder if Merida was inspired by the Talking Heads song “Seen And Not Seen” growing up (lyrics below for fun); maybe Cilic was a favourite player.
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He would see faces in movies, on TV
In magazines and in books
He thought that some of these faces might be right for him
And that through the years
By keeping an ideal facial structure fixed in his mind
Or somewhere in the back of his mind
That he might, by force of will
Cause his face to approach those of his ideal
The change would be very subtle
It might take ten years or so
Gradually his face would change its shape
A more hooked nose
Wider, thinner lips
Beady eyes
A larger forehead
He imagined that this was an ability he shared with most other people
They had also molded their faces according to some ideal
Maybe they imagined their new face
Would better suit their personality
Or maybe they imagined that their personality
Would be forced to change to fit the new appearance
This is why first impressions are often correct
Although some people might have made mistakes
They may have arrived at an appearance
That bears no relationship to them
They may have picked an ideal appearance
Based on some childish whim, or momentary impulse
Some may have gotten halfway there
And then changed their minds
He wonders if he too might have made a similar mistake