Nick Kyrgios will be aiming for a place in the Kuala Lumpur quarterfinals when he takes the court on Wednesday against Tatsuma Ito. Second-round action is also featuring Jeremy Chardy vs. Benjamin Becker.
(7) Nick Kyrgios vs. Tatsuma Ito
Kyrgios is still in search of just his second victory not counting retirements since Wimbledon as he heads into second-round competition at the Malaysian Open on Wednesday. The 20-year-old Australian’s last productive tournament came in Montreal, where he beat Fernando Verdasco before getting a retirement from Stan Wawrinka in their contentious encounter. This week is off to a routine start for Kyrgios, who led Santiago Giraldo 6-1, 2-1 on Monday before the Colombian called it quits.
Up next for the world No. 41 is a first-ever meeting with Ito. Benefiting from a favorable draw against a soon-to-be-retired Jarkko Nieminen, Ito cruised to a 6-2, 7-6(3) victory on Tuesday. The world No. 116 is a modest 7-9 at the ATP level this season and this was his first such win since Bogota in July. Kyrgios presents a considerable step up on competition for someone who spends most of his time on the Challenger circuit. The seventh seed should enjoy another short day at the office.
Pick: Kyrgios in 2
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Benjamin Becker vs. (6) Jeremy Chardy
Chardy and Becker will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers on Wednesday. Their only previous meeting came two years ago at the French Open, where Chardy rolled 6-4, 6-2, 7-5. The 26th-ranked Frenchman is a heavy favorite once again, mainly thanks to stellar current form. He reached the Montreal semifinals, the fourth round of the U.S. Open, and opened on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur by overcoming Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Becker is a disappointing 9-18 at the ATP level in 2015, but he scored a solid 6-1, 7-6(6) defeat of Sam Groth on Monday. The 34-year-old is through to the last 16 of a second consecutive fall-swing event, having taken out Andrey Golubev in St. Petersburg before succumbing to Denis Istomin. A relatively fast surface could even the playing field in this one and help Becker keep it somewhat competitive with his first-strike tennis, but Chardy should have an edge in just about every department.
Pick: Chardy in 2
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I’ll take kyrgios in 2 and Chardy in 3.
Becker wins in three! That’s pretty surprising.
And kyrgios is on course for straight sets win as expected.