Toronto R1 previews and predictions: Kyrgios vs. Wawrinka, Djokovic vs. Chung

An intriguing first-rounder between Nick Kyrgios and Stan Wawrinka highlights the Tuesday schedule in Toronto. Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic is kicking off his campaign against Hyeon Chung.

(WC) Stan Wawrinka vs. (16) Nick Kyrgios

Two players involved in one of the most infamous incidents in recent tennis history will renew their rivalry when Kyrgios and Wawrinka square off for the fifth time in their careers during first-round action at the Rogers Cup on Tuesday. The well-document personal attack issued by Kyrgios came at this same tournament in 2015 (in Montreal as opposed to Toronto), and he eventually got a third-set retirement in that second-round contest. Only two of their four previous encounters have reached a non-retirement conclusion, with Wawrinka prevailing 6-3, 6-4 three years ago at Queen’s Club and Kyrgios getting the job done 7-6(7), 7-6(2) last spring in Madrid.

Another retirement this time around is not out of the question, because both players appear to be less than 100 percent. Wawrinka is making a comeback from an injury-plagued 2017 campaign and he is a dreadful 6-11 this year following a disappointing first-round setback against Donald Young in Washington, D.C. Kyrgios fared decently on grass after missing most of the clay-court swing, but his hip bothered him once again in Atlanta and he retired from a quarterfinal match against Cameron Norrie. The 17th-ranked Aussie then pulled out of Washington, D.C., but he is entered in both singles and doubles this week so perhaps he is good to go. If Kyrgios is feeling fine and can finish the job in straight sets before things become too physical, he should be able to take advantage of a slumping opponent.

Pick: Kyrgios in 2

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Hyeon Chung vs. (9) Novak Djokovic

Djokovic will be back in singles action for the first time since taking his comeback to the grandest of heights–winning Wimbledon for the fourth time in his career. It had not been all fun and games for the 10th-ranked Serb, who teamed up with Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson to win a doubles match on Monday. Djokovic slumped from January through March, with a straight-set loss to Chung at the Australian Open among his many alarming setbacks. Their only other meeting also came at the Aussie Open two years ago, when Djokovic cruised 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Chung is making a comeback of his own, having missed much of the clay-court swing and all of the grass season due to an ankle injury. The 22-year-old South Korean fell to eventual finalist Ryan Harrison in the Atlanta quarterfinals and also lost his second match in Washington, D.C. in three sets–that one against eventual finalist Alex de Minaur. Based on current form and also on Djokovic’s history at the Rogers Cup (four titles), this should be mostly straightforward.

Pick: Djokovic in 2 with no tiebreakers

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