An intriguing showdown between up-and-comers Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur is set for Thursday in Tokyo. Kevin Anderson and Frances Tiafoe are also aiming for a spot in the quarterfinals of this 500-point event.
(5) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Alex de Minaur
Tsitsipas and de Minaur will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers and for the first time at the ATP, main-draw level when the clash in round two of the Tokyo Open on Thursday. The head-to-head series stands at 2-1 in favor of Tsitsipas after they split a pair of 2017 encounters, with de Minaur prevailing 7-6(5), 6-1 on the grass courts of the Surbiton Challenger before the Greek got the job done 6-2, 6-3 at a hard-court Challenger tournament in Potoroz.
An outstanding 2018 campaign for Tsitsipas is coming down the home stretch, and he is still in the distant Nitto ATP Finals discussion but will more likely be headed to Milan for the NextGen ATP Finals. The 20-year-old has won 32 main-tour matches, which includes a runner-up performance at the Rogers Cup. Tsitsipas opened in Tokyo with a 6-1, 6-3 rout of Taro Daniel, while de Minaur battled back from a set and a break down to defeat Gilles Simon 6-7(1), 7-6(5), 6-2. The 19-year-old Aussie is also enjoying a breakout season that has him up to 38th in the rankings, with 22 of his 24 career ATP-level match victories. Tsitsipas seems to be wearing down in the latter stages of a long season, so this is a good opportunity for de Minaur to maintain his current hot streak.
Pick: De Minaur in 3
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Frances Tiafoe vs. (2) Kevin Anderson
Four spots remain for the Nitto ATP Finals, with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Roger Federer having already clinched. Anderson is in position for one of the four, currently eighth in the race to London behind Alexander Zverev, Marin Cilic, and Dominic Thiem while leading John Isner and Kei Nishikori. The 6’8” South African struggled throughout the fall last year to end his O2 Arena hopes, but he began this season’s stretch run with a 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2 win over Matthew Ebden on Wednesday afternoon.
Up next for Anderson is a third career contest against Tiafoe, who trailed the head-to-head series 2-0 following losses this season at the New York Open (6-3, 5-7, 6-4) and in Miami (7-6(3), 6-4). Tiafoe will be joining Tsitsipas and de Minaur in Milan, as he is fifth in that race and up to No. 41 in the overall rankings. The 20-year-old American is a stellar 26-19 in 2018 with a title in Delray Beach, a fourth-round run in Miami, and a runner-up finish in Estoril. He got things started in Tokyo by defeating Maximilian Marterer 7-5, 6-4 on Tuesday. Tiafoe obviously has the talent to make this competitive, but Anderson’s experience and more reliable serve on the most important points should help see him through another close one.
Pick: Anderson in 3
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