Winston-Salem QF previews and predictions: Troicki vs. Verdasco, Bautista Agut vs. Lu

Viktor Troicki and Fernando Verdasco will continue trying to build momentum for the U.S. Open when they battle for a place in the Winston-Salem semifinals on Thursday. Quarterfinal action also features Roberto Bautista Agut and Yen-Hsun Lu.

(9) Viktor Troicki vs. (15) Fernando Verdasco

Troicki and Verdasco will be going head-to-head for just the second time in their careers when they square off in the quarterfinals of the Winston-Salem Open on Thursday. Their only previous encounter came two years ago on the clay courts of Gstaad, where Verdasco prevailed 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-1. Fast forward to 2016 and the Spaniard is still going relatively strong at 32 years old. He is 26-18 for the season and registers at 47th in the world (he will climb to No. 36 if he wins the title this week). Verdasco is through to the last eight in Winston-Salem thanks to defeats of Americans Taylor Fritz and Steve Johnson.

This has already been a productive week for Troicki based on his recent standards. The 35th-ranked Serb had lost five matches in a row, but he may be regaining some confidence with straight-set victories over Kyle Edmund and Sam Querrey. An in-form Verdasco, however, may be a tougher proposition. The No. 15 seed has already played in two quarterfinals this summer (including a runner-up performance in Bastad) and he should power his way past Troicki en route to another semifinal appearance.

Pick: Verdasco in 3

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Yen-Hsun Lu vs. (2) Roberto Bautista Agut

Bautista Agut was one of the hottest players on tour in January and February, but he has since cooled off and is hoping to pick up whatever confidence he lost in time for the U.S. Open. The 17th-ranked Spaniard, who is still a stellar 36-15 for his 2016 campaign, is off to an impressive start in that effort as he also tries to clinch a third title of the year in Winston-Salem. He punched his ticket to the quarterfinals by scraping past both Aljaz Bedene and Marcos Baghdatis in three sets.

Up next for Bautista Agut is a third career showdown against Lu, who trails the head-to-head series 2-0. Chinese Taipei’s top player fell 6-4, 6-2 four years ago in St. Petersburg prior to a 7-6(7), 6-4 setback early last season in Chennai. Lu missed the first four months of 2016 due to injury, but he repaired his ranking by reaching four Challenger finals (two titles) and he is now into his first ATP quarterfinal of the year following straight-set wins over Illya Marchenko, Joao Sousa, and Diego Schwartzman. With the competition level ratcheting up, though, a third straight loss to Bautista Agut may be in the cards.

Pick: Bautista Agut in 3

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