Delray Beach SF previews and predictions: Raonic vs. Del Potro, Sock vs. Young

A blockbuster semifinal lineup in Delray Beach features a Saturday showdown between Milos Raonic and Juan Maerin Del Potro. The American fans will also see two of their own go head-to-head, with Jack Sock taking on Donald Young.

(1) Milos Raonic vs. (7) Juan Martin Del Potro

Raonic and Del Potro will be squaring off for the third time in their careers when they meet in the semifinals of the Delray Beach Open on Saturday night. The head-to-head series is tied at 1-1 following a pair of 2013 encounters; Raonic won 7-5, 6-4 at the Canada Masters before Del Potro got revenge via a 7-6(5), 7-5 decision in the Tokyo title match. Del Potro’s wrist-related absence is the main reason why they have not faced each other in more than three years, but the 42nd-ranked Argentine is back in business now. After resurrecting his ranking last season while also capturing the silver medal at the Rio Olympics, he is off to a 3-0 start in 2017 with victories this week over Kevin Anderson, Damir Dzumhur, and Sam Querrey.

On the heels of a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed, Raonic took care of Borna Coric in straight sets and overcame Kyle Edmund 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. The fourth-ranked Canadian is making his first appearance since the Australian Open, where he fell to eventual runner-up Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. Another tough test awaits Raonic in this one, in part because Del Potro is 11-1 lifetime in Delray Beach with a title in 2011. The former world No. 4 raised his level against Querrey and advanced without facing a single break point, and a similar performance may be enough to pull off a minor upset of Raonic.

Pick: Del Potro in 3

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(3) Jack Sock vs. Donald Young

Young could not have enjoyed a more productive day at the office on Thursday. For a while it did not look like that would be the case, as the 69th-ranked American trailed compatriot Taylor Fritz by a set during second-round action and was also dealing with an apparent knee injury. Young, however, stormed back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and then got an immediate walkover from Steve Darcis through the quarterfinals. Coming off a semifinal performance in Memphis, Young also owns a victory this week over second-seeded Ivo Karlovic.

Up next for Young on Saturday is a fourth career encounter with Sock, who leads the head-to-head series 3-0–2-0 at the ATP level. They most recently faced each other at last summer’s Rogers Cup, where Sock cruised 6-4, 6-3. The red-hot world No. 21 is 10-1 this season with a title in Auckland and now a semifinal run in Delray Beach that has come at the expense of Radu Albot, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, and Steve Johnson. Even if Young is 100 percent–which does not seem likely–Sock should ride his big serve and forehand to another convincing win.

Pick: Sock in 2

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