Tokyo previews and predictions: Goffin vs. Carreno Busta, Pouille vs. Nishioka

Pablo Carreno Busta will be back in action after capturing the Chengdu title when he faces David Goffin on Wednesday in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the second round begins with a showdown between Lucas Pouille and Yoshihito Nishioka.

(3) David Goffin vs. Pablo Carreno Busta

Goffin and Carreno Busta will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers and for the third time in less than two months when they meet again in round one of the Japan Open on Wednesday. Carreno Busta leads the head-to-head series 2-1 after prevailing 6-3, 6-2 on the indoor hard courts of Metz two weeks ago. He also got the job done 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 on the red clay of Oeiras in 2013, while Goffin’s victory came this summer via a 7-6(5), 7-6(9), 7-5 decision at the U.S. Open.

Carreno Busta is coming off the fourth title of his career last week in Chengdu, where he outlasted Alexander Bublik in a third-set tiebreaker on Sunday. The 39th-ranked Spaniard has now won multiple matches at five consecutive tournaments, during which he is 15-4 overall (including two qualifying victories in Cincinnati). Goffin, the Cincinnati runner-up and a fourth-round performer at Flushing Meadows, is far more rested and should be able to get some revenge for his Metz loss.

Pick: Goffin in 3

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Yoshihito Nishioka vs. (5) Lucas Pouille

Goffin and Pouille were probably feeling the effects of Pouille’s wedding weekend when they took the court in Metz, although the groom at least managed to win two matches before falling to eventual champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semifinals. Pouille then lost his Zhuhai opener to Soonwoo Kwon, but–like his Belgian friend–he is at least well-rested for this more important tournament in Tokyo. The fifth-seeded Frenchman looked strong on Monday, beating Winston-Salem winner Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 6-3.

Up next for Pouille on Wednesday is a second career contest against Nishioka, who dropped their only previous encounter 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 three years ago in Brisbane. The world No. 77 treated his Japanese fans to a 7-5, 6-3 defeat of Joao Sousa on Monday, helping him recover from a dreadful 6-2, 6-1 setback against Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the Zhuhai first round. Nishioka is still just 1-3 lifetime in Tokyo, so this is a good opportunity for Pouille.

Pick: Pouille in 3

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