Final previews and predictions: Murray vs. Dimitrov, Goffin vs. Kyrgios

Grigor Dimitrov got a free pass from Milos Raonic through Saturday’s Beijing semifinals, but he will likely have much tougher day at the office when he goes up against Andy Murray. Sunday’s final in Tokyo, meanwhile, features David Goffin and Nick Kyrgios.

China Open: (1) Andy Murray vs. Grigor Dimitrov

Murray and Dimitrov will be facing each other for the 11th time in their careers when they battle for the Beijing title on Sunday. The head-to-head series stands at 7-3 in favor of Murray, who has won four of their last five encounters dating back to the fall of 2014. Dimitrov was competitive in three straight meetings, and even prevailed in one (6-7(1), 6-4, 6-3 earlier this season in Miami), before getting clobbered 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in the fourth round of the U.S. Open.

For the 20th-ranked Bulgarian, his New York setback against Murray was just a temporary blip during what has been an impressive hot streak on the heels of a spring slump. He is 15-5 in his last 20 matches following victories this week over Steve Johnson, Lucas Pouille, and Rafael Nadal. After upsetting Nadal in the quarters, Dimitrov got a walkover from Milos Raonic on Saturday. Murray booked his spot in the final by taking care of Andreas Seppi, Andrey Kuznetsov, Kyle Edmund, and David Ferrer in straight sets. The second-ranked Scot is 59-9 for the season with four titles, including at Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics. This may not be as lopsided as their recent U.S. Open showdown, but Murray should still cruise.

Pick: Murray in 2

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Japan Open: (5) David Goffin vs. (6) Nick Kyrgios

Kyrgios is one win away from what would be the third title of his career and his third of the season. Although the sample size this week is small, the 15th-ranked Australian appears to be in the kind of form that earned him the winner’s trophy in Marseille–where he positively destroyed everyone in his path. In addition to a walkover past Radek Stepanek, Kyrgios has defeated Ryan Harrison, Gilles Muller, and Gael Monfils all in straight sets so far in Tokyo.

Up next for the 21-year-old is a first-ever meeting with Goffin, who punched his ticket to the final by beating Yoshihito Nishioka, Jiri Vesely, Joao Sousa, and Marin Cilic. The 14th-ranked Belgian has surrendered only one set to Sousa, after which he bounced back for a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 quarterfinal victory. Goffin has been just 4-5 in his last nine matches prior to this week, so this run has come just about from out of nowhere. And it will likely come to an end in the form of a runner-up finish, mainly due to the current confidence being showcased by his opponent.

Pick: Kyrgios in 2

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