A pair of all-American matchups are part of the Wednesday schedule in Memphis. Sam Querrey will contest his opener against Ryan Harrison, while Donald Young and Reilly Opelka are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.
Ryan Harrison vs. (3) Sam Querrey
Querrey and Harrison will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers when they clash in round two of the Memphis Open on Wednesday. Their only previous meeting came five years ago on the hard courts of Auckland, where Harrison prevailed 6-4, 6-3. It has been an up-and-down ride ever since for the 24-year-old American, but he is back on the rise in the aftermath of significant 2014 and 2015 struggles. Up to No. 62 in the world, Harrison reached the Auckland second round as a qualifier and is coming off a Challenger title in Dallas.
Whereas his countryman opened with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Konstantin Kravchuk on Tuesday, Querrey earned a first-round bye in Memphis as the No. 3 seed. The 29-year-old has not done much since stunning Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last summer, and he is just 2-2 in ATP tournaments so far this season. Querrey lost his Brisbane opener to Diego Schwartzman before falling to Andy Murray in easy straight sets during third-round Australian Open action. With a match already under his belt this week, a big opportunity awaits Harrison in an effort to maintain his fine form.
Pick: Harrison in 3
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Donald Young vs. (WC) Reilly Opelka
Opelka is set for his second all-American showdown of the week. The 6’11” teenager (19) battled fellow wild card Jared Donaldson on Monday and picked up a 6-1, 7-5 victory. This continues Opelka’s rise up the rankings, in which he currently registers at No. 180. Opelka owns six career ATP-level match victories–three last summer in Atlanta–and could have more but his Aussie Open upset bid against David Goffin ended after he failed to consolidate a break advantage in the fifth set.
Up next for the youngster on Wednesday is Young, who was one of Opelka’s Atlanta victims. That is their only previous encounter to date and Opelka took it 6-4, 6-4. Young almost missed his chance for another shot at his compatriot, but the world No. 81 recovered from break deficits in both the second and third sets to outlast Adrian Mannarino 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) on Monday. This marks Young’s first appearance since Melbourne, where he defeated Thomas Fabbiano before falling to Philipp Kohlschreiber. Conditions were fast when these two squared off in Atlanta and something similar in Memphis should benefit Opelka, who fired 15 aces past Donaldson while saving all four of the break points he faced.
Pick: Opelka in 3
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Querry and Opelka, both in 3.
Ditto