Miami QF preview and prediction: Fils vs. Mensik

With only one top-16 seed remaining in the top half of the Miami Open draw, a huge opportunity awaits Arthur Fils and Jakub Mensik as quarterfinal competition concludes on Thursday.

Top seed Alexander Zverev seemed to be on his way to the last eight, but after leading Fils by set on Wednesday afternoon the second-ranked German eventually succumbed 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. It was unquestionably a rain-aided victory for Fils, who had been scheduled to face Zverev on Tuesday–about 24 hours after outlasting Frances Tiafoe in an energy-sapping thriller. With an unexpected day of rest in between matches, the 20-year-old was able to survive yet another three-setter against Zverev.

Fils preceded those two results with as easier day at the office, as he got past Gabriel Diallo via second-set retirement in round two. The world No. 18 is now 11-5 this season and 6-1 in his last seven matches, a stretch that also includes a quarterfinal run at the Indian Wells Masters.

A second meeting with Mensik is now on the menu for Fils. Their only previous encounter came this past December at the NextGen ATP Finals, where the Frenchman prevailed 4-2, 4-3(4), 4-2.

There isn’t much to take from that kind of abbreviated match, plus Mensik already looks like an even better player than he was just three months ago. The 54th-ranked Czech reached the third round of the Australian Open and he is through to his third quarterfinal of the season thanks to defeats of Roberto Bautista Agut, Indian Wells champion Jack Draper, and Roman Safiullin (he also got a walkover from Tomas Machac on Tuesday).

Conditions in Miami are great for Mensik, who–even at 19 years old–already wields one of the biggest serves on tour. With Mensik having not played since Monday and Fils surely fatigued to a certain extent, the teenager should have the edge in this NextGen rematch.

Pick: Mensik in 3