Delray Beach R2 preview and prediction: Isner vs. Monteiro

John Isner and Thiago Monteiro will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they meet again in round two of the Delray Beach Open on Saturday night.

Their only previous encounter was a typical Isner match. At the 2020 Australian Open, all four sets went to tiebreakers–with the 6’10” American surviving 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 7-6(7), 7-6(5).

Another close one should be in the cards in South Florida. Isner is the clear favorite as the No. 2 seed and 25th-ranked player in the world, but he has never been particularly effective in Delray Beach. The 35-year-old is 13-7 lifetime at this 250-point tournament with no final appearances (he is 0-4 in the semifinals).

Obviously Monteiro has a chance–just as almost any underdog does against Isner, whose matches often come down to just a few crucial points. The 84th-ranked Brazilian won a decent eight ATP-level matches last season and he is 1-0 so far in 2021 after disposing of compatriot Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday.

Isner generally struggles against left-handers and this is his first match of the year, so complete dominance is unlikely. In tiebreakers, though, the bigger server–by far–will likely have the edge once again.

Pick: Isner in 2