Delray Beach R2 previews and predictions: Del Potro vs. Dzumhur, Young vs. Fritz

Juan Martin Del Potro will be back in action when he takes the court for a second-round Delray Beach date with Damir Dzumhur on Thursday. A quarterfinal spot is also at stake in an all-American showdown between Donald Young and Taylor Fritz.

Damir Dzumhur vs. (7) Juan Martin Del Potro

Del Potro is no stranger to making comebacks at the Delray Beach Open, as last year he returned from an extended layoff to reach the semifinals. His latest absence was not as long, mainly because it stemmed from a desire for precautionary rest as opposed to an actual wrist injury. The 42nd-ranked Argentine, who skipped the Australian summer, kicked off his 2017 campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 first-round victory over Kevin Anderson on Tuesday night. Del Potro is now 9-1 lifetime in Delray Beach with a title in 2011.

Up next for the former world No. 4 on Thursday is a first-ever meeting with Dzumhur. The 79th-ranked Bosnian is off to a fine start this season, owning a 4-4 record at the ATP level that includes a quarterfinal performance last week in Memphis. Dzumhur earned his spot in the Delray Beach second round by defeating Konstantin Kravchuk 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday. The underdog will force some extended baseline rallies, but Del Potro should have way too much offensive weaponry in this one.

Pick: Del Potro in 2

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Taylor Fritz vs. Donald Young

It will be an all-American affair when Young and Fritz face each other for the first time in their careers at any level on Thursday. Young is heading into this matchup with extreme confidence, having recently advanced to the Memphis semifinals before falling to eventual champion Ryan Harrison. The world No. 69 maintained his strong form and picked up his fifth ATP match victory in 2017 by taking down second-seeded Ivo Karlovic 7-6(5), 7-6(3). Young’s last three wins have come against opponents 6’10” or taller (Karlovic, Reilly Opelka, and John Isner), and he went 5-0 in tiebreakers in those three matches.

Fritz, on the other hand, has plunged out of the top 100 now that his 2016 Memphis runner-up points are off the board. The 19-year-old, who registers at 112th in the rankings, has struggled since his breakout on tour early last season and he is just 2-5 in his last seven ATP-level matches dating back to last season. Fritz reached the Memphis second round (lost to Matthew Ebden) before cruising past qualifier Akira Santillan 6-4, 6-4 on Monday. Based on current form, Young will likely have an edge between two players seemingly going in opposite directions at the moment.

Pick: Young in 3

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