A full slate of second-round competition is on the menu for Wednesday in Los Cabos, headlined in part by a showdown between Alex de Minaur and Alex Michelsen. Dan Evans and Thanasi Kokkinakis are also on the schedule.
(3) Alex de Minaur vs. Alex Michelsen
De Minaur will get right back in action after finishing runner-up in Rotterdam when he takes the court at the Mifel Tennis Open on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Australian climbed to a career-high No. 9 in the world following his performance last week, which included wins over Sebastian Korda, Andrey Rublev, and Grigor Dimitrov prior to a setback against Jannik Sinner. A quick turnaround should not be a problem for De Minaur, mainly because he always seems to play well in Mexico. Last year he reached the Los Cabos final (lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas) and captured the Acapulco title.
The No. 3 seed won’t be able to ease into this tournament because up first is a tough opponent in Michelsen. One of the rising stars on tour, the 19-year-old American is up to 74th in the rankings and he is coming off a 6-3, 7-6(3) opening-round victory over Constant Lestienne on Monday. Michelsen’s big-hitting game is dangerous, but De Minaur’s defense will likely be too much for a relatively one-dimensional player–plus De Minaur is smart enough to expose Michelsen’s erratic forehand.
Pick: De Minaur in 2
Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Dan Evans
Evans and Kokkinakis will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers on Wednesday. Both of their main-tour encounters have gone Kokkinakis’ way; 7-5, 6-4 during the 2015 Davis Cup and 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 last spring at Roland Garros. However, Evans emerged victorious in a 2021 Challenger contest on the grass courts of Birmingham, where he prevailed 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(5).
Neither player is setting the world on fire these days, but they are both coming off very impressive first-round results. Evans thrashed an in-form Roman Safiullin 6-2, 6-4; Kokkinakis upset Jack Draper 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. Who has a better chance of stringing together back-to-back stellar performances? Probably Evans, who has played some of the best tennis of his career in his 30s (currently 33 years old). Kokkinakis is still just 2-4 this season and struggling down at No. 103 in the rankings. Look for the Brit to get the best of a competitive, back-and-forth affair.
Pick: Evans in 3
WWW?
Demon in 3; Evans in 3.